News - A Centralized Agency for Businesses Formalization (GUFE): MCA-Benin fosters implementation of the Enforcement Decree

Bel Azur Hotel, Grand-Popo, is the venue for the three-day workshop initiated by MCA-Benin for the sound understanding and implementation of the decree that establishes the Centralized Agency for Businesses Formalization (GUFE) in Benin.

For entrusting the Center for Business Formalities (CFE) with new and extensive capacities, MCA-Benin has commissioned a study to Geca-Prospective Consultants in order to evaluate the achievements recorded by the Center and to introduce new activities in the range of services it offers.

Based on this study, the Government of Benin issued, back to October 20, 2009, the Decree No. 2009-542 creating the Centralized Agency for Businesses Formalization (GUFE); as an administrative public-based body with legal personality, it is endowed with organizational and financial autonomy and reports to the Ministry for Trade.

The new decree, which confers larger authority and capabilities to the GUFE compared to the CFE, aims to reduce the number of procedures required for the creation of enterprises or for any changes in businesses (activities closure, dissolution). As such, the innovative decree is worth mastering by officers and other enforcement officers from services involved in the businesses formalization process.

Hence, the current workshop in Grand-Popo, gathers decisions makers from the Benin Chamber of Commerce and Industry Benin (CCIB), legal advisers of Ministries and Directors of various services involved in the businesses formalization process.

Participants and all involved organizations are expected to better command the content of each implementation Order related to the decree, and to further learn about their rights and duties in the new system of businesses formalization. It will be discussed during this meeting on issues regarding documents to provide, procedures and costs, for shared understanding and endorsement. Besides, draft Orders for successful implementation of the decree will be developed and a committee established for monitoring the process according to a clearly defined timetable.

Worth mentioning, a second seminar will be held from March 23 to 25 and March 30 through April 1, 2010 for the appropriation of the decree by the implementing agencies involved in the businesses formalization process.