His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a meeting to discuss ways of improving Amman's business environment, highlighting the importance of easing procedures for citizens and investors to start businesses in the capital.

King Abdullah commended the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) for taking note of this and seeking to achieve this goal, stressing the need for significant progress in the field ahead of the August local elections.

During the meeting, held at Al Husseiniya Palace and attended by Prime Minister Hani Mulki, His Majesty said e-services should be made available as soon as possible, since they have become imperative to ensuring the ease of doing business and facilitating government procedures.

The King added that GAM, in coordination with the government, should also work to improve public transport services in the capital.

For his part, GAM Committee President Yousef Shawarbeh outlined the decisions the municipality has taken to improve the business environment, including steps to streamline procedures, such as delegating powers to directors of municipal sub-districts.

Measures also include setting up an online connection with the Department of Land and Survey and removing obstacles to the practice of certain trades and businesses.

Other measures under implementation focus on easing regulations governing the licensing of workplaces, Shawarbeh said, noting that an amended draft by-law governing construction requirements and specifications will soon be referred to the Prime Ministry for approval.

They also include automating the issuance of building permits, revisiting the permit fees for industrial facilities, and forming a committee to study the amendment of the law governing the practice of trades and crafts in order to extend licences to cover three years and require their renewal online by 2018.

By 2020, Shawarbeh said, all services will be automated, noting that 13 e-services will be launched this year, while 78 will be automated in 2018.

Turning to public transport, he noted that GAM’s current plan is based on the outcomes of a comprehensive blueprint completed in 2010, adding that the delay in implementing some strategic projects led to slower progress.

GAM will work on drawing up a three-year action plan to improve public transport services in Amman, he added.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Minister of ICT and Public Sector Development Majd Shweikeh also attended the meeting.