Single zone standard makes business easier
A company representative receives a new business license after the notice took effect on Friday.
A company representative receives material from an official with the Zhujiajiao market regulation authorities on Friday afternoon.
Doing business in the Yangtze River Delta Ecology and Greenery Integration Demonstration Zone is being made easier with the implementation of a single enterprise registration standard in the zone from Friday.
Market watchdogs in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces jointly released a notice on Friday covering nine measures related to registration standards and procedures.
There will be a single form and single window for applicants wanting to set up new businesses in the zone and it will take a maximum of two days to complete all the relevant procedures in the establishment of a new business, tax affairs, business seal delivery and employees' social insurance.
Cross-area identity authentication is achieved in the zone based on a data sharing platform of Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces and 30 affairs including business set-up, alteration services and cancellation will be allowed for cross-area declaration and handling within the zone, ensuring efficient and convenient services for applicants, authorities said.
The notice exempts enterprises from the application of business licenses when they open branches within the same registration jurisdiction in the zone.
The notice also exempts overseas investors setting up enterprises within the zone from authentication procedures of their identities for making investment in other places in the zone, which comprises Qingpu District in Shanghai, Wujiang District in Jiangsu Province and Jiashan County in Zhejiang Province at present.
"Paper-free registration will be further promoted in the zone with the target of zero-meet between applicants and officials and practices of online identity authentication, e-signature, e-document filing and e-business license will be improved," said Peng Wenhao, deputy director of the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation.
For the first time, the notice allows enterprises meeting certain criteria in the zone to use the zone's name in their names.
"The act is another step forward toward a top-class business environment in the zone to attract enterprises from home and abroad to land in the zone," said Tang Xiaodong, deputy director of the zone’s executive committee.
"It streamlines application procedures for business affairs," he added.
Ji Yuefeng, a member of staff at Zhujiajiao Industrial Park, received a new business license on Friday afternoon. He applied to change the address of an e-commerce company in the park to include the zone's name.
"It will make the company sound more resonant and influential when attracting business investment," said Ji.
Zhang Rui, general manager of Shanghai Shuorun Machinery Parts Co Ltd in Qingpu District, visited the Zhujiajiao market regulation authorities on Friday.
"I plan to open a branch in Wujiang and I can apply for a new business license in Qingpu instead of making a trip to Wujiang now," he said.
