One-stop-shop for entrepreneurs in Piemonte (SUAP)

SUAP is an integrated information system related to One Stop Shops for Productive Activities, set up by the Piedmont Region to simplify and standardise relations between public administrations and enterprises involved at regional level, to simplify and reduce start-up costs. Combining different instruments (economical, legislative, organisational and technological) and enabling interoperability among different entities, SUAP can support administrations in gathering information and permits for production facilities and aims at: · Standardising back office activity thorugh on-line services for all the SUAPs managed by different local entities · Providing front office services for enterprises and Business associations · Rationalising and standardising procedures, acts and documents · Providing information concerning localization opportunities and financial and job-creation incentives

Policy Context

SUAP was created in the framework of the Italian Government effort to transfers tasks and functions to administrative centres closer to the citizens (municipalities and authorities above the municipal level). The One Stop Shop was conceived as the single interlocutor for enterprises: an agency to which they can turn to complete all the formalities and procedures necessary to their core business, without having to wonder from office to office and without interference in the correct fulfilment of their respective obligations. As service aims at the creation of new enterprises and the enhancement of marketing opportunity, SUAP contributes to a sustainable growth trend and enhances job creation. Thanks to the integration of different entities promoting the creation of new enterprises and the enhancement of marketing opportunity, SUAP helps to bring about change in national policies to improve the business environment. As far as simplification is concerned, SUAP reduces red tape and simplifies rules for business, public services and citizens. Thanks to this approach, SUAP contributes to the general context of EC Better Regulation implementation (the European Commission is cutting red tape so that businesses can be more productive, public services more efficient and citizens freed from bureaucracy).

Description of target users and groups

Business: the enterpreneurial sector is the main beneficiary. It consists of 1,400,000 units in Pidemont, among which 500,0000 are enterprises (35% are handicraft enterprises) Free agents (surveyors, architects, engineers) are the main SUAP interlocutors: they are appointed by enterprises in order to obtain the relevant authorisations. Administrative (the regional Piedmont authority, the 8 Piedmont provinces, the 1,206 municipalities: they communicate through a dedicated system channel in order to reduce red tape burden Intermediaries (Chambers of Commerce, industrial and professional associations): their back office data are fully integrated in the system

Description of the way to implement the initiative

The management structure is composed by the owing authority (Regione Piemonte), by the “implementing partner” (CSI-Piemonte, with specific IT expertise) and by a third Partner, the User working Group, that involves single One Stop Shops managers. This management structure enables the following conditions: · the effective involvement of the different local authorities based in the regional territory coordinated by the regional entity; · thanks to the presence of a technological partner, the effectiveness of the technological components implementation (the setting up the single information system that is integrated at all levels). As the management structure involves a technological partner, CSI-Piemonte, it ensures that technological tools are effectively handled. As far as the User working Group (composed by representatives of 5 One Stop Shops) is concerned, its role is to provide administrative, legal and organisational support to the regional authority and to participate in the definition of the Information system strategic guidelines. This approach, aiming at involving all the actors participating in the SUAP, enables to handle potential barriers to the technological implementation (municipalities, regional authority provinces on one hand and on the other enterprises and enterprises intermediaries are able to specify users requirements during the programming phase). Multi-channel issues: SUAP addresses a traditional delivery method (Internet, PC, telephone, e-mail and mailing list) which is more effective and not invasive.

Main results, benefits and impacts

IMPACT In 1998, Italy was the OECD country with the highest level of barriers to entrepreneurship. The country’s negative position was mainly due to the high value of the sub-indicator “administrative burdens” on start up. The introduction of the One Stop Shop, together with the other simplification reforms, reduced times, charges and procedures: a benefit for all enterprises but especially for start-ups. For individual enterprises, the number of procedures fell from 11 to 5, procedure completion time from 16 weeks to 1, and charges from € 1,150 to € 340. The benefits for public limited companies were still more significant, with a reduction of procedures from 21 to 12, time from 22 weeks to 6, and charges from € 7,700 to € 3,516 (source: FORMEZ) After 1998 and the introduction of the One Stop Shop, the OECD “Barriers to entrepreneurship” indicator and its sub-indicators (start-up administrative charges, procedure numbers and times, charges, administrative opacity, system of licenses and permits) fell by about 42%. RESULTS By lowering barriers to entrepreneurship, SUAP encourages and facilitates the birth of new enterprises, in particular: · Increasing entrepreneur’s awareness related to the benefits provided by the service (improvement of benefits after SUAP introduction) · Changing administrative organisational process: procedures are simpler and reduced · Raising awareness as entrepreneurs consider SUAP as a suitable instrument SUAP is an effective instrument: · The SUAP networking approach involved, in an integrated system, institutions, citizens, enterprises · The service is able to tailor its instruments to better fit the users needs and requirements · Confidence and rapidity: within short time, users receive, in a simplified procedure, the suitable feedback Innovation: Before the One Stop Shop setting up, obtaining the authorisations required to start a business, was an exhausting process against long delays and high costs. A turning point was reached when the reform of the permit system and the institution of the One Stop Shop, giving entrepreneurs a single interlocutor for all procedures related to the opening, life and closing of production facilities. The innovative aspects of this regional project are represented by: · A common portal able to create a virtual community and to share experiences, best practices and solutions among the different actors involved in the Piedmont’s One Stop Shops activities · A software tool able to manage the entire procedure, from the beginning to the end of the process · The creation of a User working group able to face administrative and legislative matters and user requirements needs

Return on investment

Return on investment: Not applicable / Not available

Track record of sharing

In 2006 the Italian Government has set tup the Financial Opportunità Data bank, getting the main inspiration by the SUAP Piedmont experience (http://www.sportelloimpresa.it/servizi/bancadatiagevolazioni/Appl.Motor…). The transferability of this opportunity has been widely promoted through the national television channel-Rai uno (Programme: RAIUtile- title “E-Government and link with the territory”). Added to this, the technolgical supporting applicant has promoted at national level this finacial opportunity service through on-line training courses (http://csi.communityformez.it/commty/materialididattici.cfm)

Lessons learnt

· Sharing project objectives and implementation activities with SUAP users (a dedicated working group has been created for this purpose: Sportello unico User Group) · Creation of a virtual community composed by regional One Stop Shops, that share and implement effective solutions · The SUAP instrument, tanks to the enterprises’ support, contributes to the social and economic development of the regional territory Scope: International, Local (city or municipality), National, Regional (sub-national)