The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) has announced the start of the single-window system for the starting of a new business in the Dominican Republic. He said the system seeks to motivate more businesses to go formal.
In an event held at the auditorium of the Museum of Modern Art, yesterday, Wednesday 30 October, the announcement was made by Minister of Industry and Commerce Jose del Castillo Savinon, accompanied by deputy minister for small business Ignacio Mendez. Representatives of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, the National Industrial Property Office (Onapi), the Department of Taxes (DGII) and the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce were also present.
Jose del Castillo Savinon said the service was a one-stop shop for anyone wanting to start a business or regularize their business status. He said that small and medium-sized businesses make up 96% of all businesses in the Dominican Republic and contribute 27% to the country’s GDP.
He said that in the past, to go formal, a company needed to visit seven government entities, fill out three forms and make four payments at different government offices. Applicants also needed to visit four different administrative divisions and the process would take at least 20 working days.
The plan now is that the legal process to create a company can be done in seven days with an online visit to the website www.formalizate.gob.do, and in person to the corresponding chamber of commerce.
Ignacio Mendez stated that there were clear links between informal jobs and poverty, adding that the big challenge is to improve productive and managerial capacity of informal business with programs in place for them to access the advantages of being formal. The Ministry is finalizing details on a major program to encourage small businesses to formalize their status.
Industria y Comercio pone en funcionamiento la ventanilla única para las PYMES