Simplifying Administrative Procedures (TN0008)

This commitment consists in simplifying a number of administrative procedures in order to facilitate business, and make people’s life easier. The simplification process will be made after considering a list of administrative procedures that will be canceled or amended, before adopting the required legislation (laws, decrees,...).

8: Simplification of administrative procedures

Commitment Text: This commitment consists in simplifying a number of administrative procedures in order to facilitate business, and make people’s life easier. The simplification process will be made after considering a list of administrative procedures that will be canceled or amended, before adopting the required legislation (laws, decrees,…).

Responsible Institution(s): The Secretariat of State in Charge of Governance and Civil Service (The General Directorate for Reforms and Prospective Studies), the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in cooperation with all concerned parties.

Start Date: July 2014 End Date: June 2016

Commitment aim

This commitment aimed to simplify a number of administrative procedures, especially those related to investment, business, and finance. Tunisia has numerous and overly complex administrative procedures which undermine the business climate and hurt economic growth. In 2015, the World Bank ranked the country 75^th out of 189 in terms of ease of doing business.^{[Note 30: World Bank, “Ease of Doing Business Index,” http://bit.ly/1TTnAss.]}

Status

Midterm: Limited

On 18 September 2014, the Chief of Government signed the 2014-3484 Decree to initialise a participatory process for simplifying administrative procedures in health, tourism, national security, land and equipment, and sustainable development. The decree mandated the creation of several committees in different ministries to review administrative procedures, in consultation with the private sector. The IRM researcher could not confirm that the commitees were formed, or that any subsequent consultation took place. For more information, please see the 2014-2015 IRM Midterm Progress Report.^{[Note 31: OGP, Tunisia IRM Midterm Progress Report 2014-15, http://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2001/01/Tunisia2014-15_IRM%20Progress%20Report_Eng.pdf.]}

End of term: Limited

The OGP points of contact^{[Note 32: Interview with OGP focal point team members, Rim Garnaoui and Chiraz Ben Tahar, 9 September 2016.]} stated that, as of July 2016, no further progress had been made on the implementation of this commitment.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Did not change

Civic participation: Did not change

Public Accountability: Did not change

Simplifying administrative procedures and cutting red tape are essential to delivering better services to citizens, as well as improving the business environment in the country. As written, however, the commitment did not include any measures for publicising information on how the process would take place, or for involving CSOs or the business community in deciding how the procedures would be simplified. The IRM researcher could not confirm that the government created the commitees or that any consultation with CSOs occurred. The conclusion is, therefore, that the commitment did not contribute in any way to opening government. 

Carried forward?

This commitment was not carried forward to the second action plan.