Applications for industrial licences in Mozambique will be automatically approved from November if the state fails to respond within the statutory deadlines, and licences will be issued digitally with QR codes, under a new regulation.
The Regulation on Industrial Activity Licensing, obtained by Lusa on Tuesday, replaces the framework in force since 2014, introducing changes aimed at reducing bureaucracy, speeding up administrative processes and strengthening the digitalisation of public services.
One of the main changes, which will take effect on 8 November, is the introduction of the mechanism of tacit approval, under which applications will be deemed approved whenever the competent authority fails to respond within the legally established deadlines.
The regulation stipulates that, once the decision deadline has passed without a formal response from the administration, the applicant may proceed as if authorisation had been granted: “The expiry of the deadline without the licensing authority issuing its decision shall result in tacit approval.”
It provides for the full digitalisation of licensing procedures, with applications submitted through the Integrated Citizen Service Delivery Platform (e-BAU) and licences issued electronically, incorporating a QR code to validate and verify their authenticity.
New deadlines
The regulation establishes new administrative deadlines for the various stages of the process, including five working days for the assessment of applications and documentation, and three and five working days for the approval of industrial projects and installation permits, respectively.
It also introduces a more detailed classification of industrial activity, distinguishing between micro, small, medium-sized and large industries based on criteria such as investment value, installed capacity and number of workers.
Micro-industries will benefit from a simplified licensing regime and, in several cases, will be exempt from prior project approval, installation permits and mandatory inspections.
The new legal framework also establishes validity periods for industrial licences: those for small, medium-sized and large industries will be valid for five years, while micro-industries will receive licences valid for three years. Both will be renewable.
It strengthens the penalties applicable to the sector, providing for fines for offences such as setting up operations without a licence, operating without authorisation, failing to comply with legal requirements or providing false information to the authorities. Sanctions may include, in addition to fines, the suspension of activities, the seizure or sealing of equipment and even the closure of the industrial facility.
Micro-industries will generally be defined as establishments with investments of up to 1.5 million meticais (US$20,900) and up to 10 workers, while small industries will cover investments above that threshold. Medium-sized and large industries will also be classified according to investment, installed capacity and employment brackets.
The changes are in line with the public administration digitalisation strategy advocated by Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, who told Lusa in an interview in July that bureaucracy in the country had its “days numbered” thanks to the digitalisation of public services.
“Our objective in digitalising public services is, first, to ensure faster processes and, second, to improve the efficiency of services provided to businesses and citizens as a whole,” he said at the time.
Sworn in on 15 January as Mozambique’s fifth president, Chapo has made digitalisation and the fight against corruption government priorities, arguing that reducing face-to-face contact between public officials and citizens could help reduce opportunities for illicit practices.
Source: Lusa