The project Circe.es was launched by the Spanish Directorate General for SME's to expedite the creation of new companies and to ensure the creation of more robust and competitive companies. To set it out, we simplified the administrative procedures and forms associated with the company creation process, offering an integrated advisory service that assists the entrepreneur from the early phases of the business initiative to the first years of activity; we also created an intensive application of information technologies for the start-up of the companies, involving entrepreneurs, civil service agencies and other bodies related to company creation.
Policy Context
The April 22, 1997 Commission Recommendation on the improvement and simplification on the entrepreneurship conditions (97/344/CEE). Moreover, the European Parliament (2002/0079) resolution on the strategy for getting full employment and social inclusion, recommended the members states to use the standard forms as well as the intensive use of the Information and Communication Technologies in public Administrations, especially on the procedures to promote entrepreneurship. Finally the European Council (March 2006) urged member states to create any company, specially the SME’s, in no more than seven days by the end of 2007. To lead to end these recommendations, we have been working, at national level, developing legal regulation in the mercantile, administrative and technologic area: The Act 7/2003, of April 1, for New Enterprise Limited Company, which creates a juridical simplified framework adapted to the needs of the small enterprises. The Royal Decree 682/2003, of June 7, regulating the electronic processing of the limited New Society Company and the Single Electronic Document. The Accounting Simplified Plan. Regulated by the Royal Decree 296/2004, of February 20, the principal aim is to facilitate the management of these societies. Royal Decree 1332/2006, of November 21, regulating the electronic processing for the Private Limited company using the Single Electronic Document.
Description of target users and groups
The CIRCE for SLNE (New Enterprise Limited Company) was launched in 2003. The smallest companies (micro companies) belong to the target group because they constitute the vertebral column of Spanish economy and they are essential in the creation of working places. A couple of years later we launched Circe SRL, for limited companies. In fact, 125,000 limited companies are created each year in Spain.
Description of the way to implement the initiative
We are used to have periodic working meetings with the different involved actors, with the 13 regional governments, with the notaries, the Tax agency, the Social Security agency, etc. Moreover, we have a groupware collaboration tool in order to share doubts as well as best practices in real time. Multi-channel issues: The process to create a company can be done in one-stop-shops where entrepreneurs can access all the counselling needed. On the other hand, through the online channel any entrepreneur can know the situation of a process, request a domain and access the information provided from the different governments involved.
Main results, benefits and impacts
We have achieved a one-stop-shops annual growth of 100%. Moreover, the number of companies created by the electronic processing system has grown 74% in the last three years. Innovation: Previously to this project, any entrepreneur who wanted to create a Limited Company had to visit personally different governmental agencies at least eight times. With the project Circe SRL entrepreneurs only have to do two visits. Moreover, previously they had to fill 15 different documents, and with the CIRCE SRL project they only have to fill one.
Return on investment
Return on investment: Not applicable / Not availableLessons learnt
Lesson 1 - eGovernment improves the relationship between the citizens and the government, makes it easier and quickly. Lesson 2 - eGovernment can be the best way to simplify the administrative procedures. Lesson 3 - All governments involved must work close together to get a global quality service.
Scope: National