At its weekly session on 10 December, the Government of New Caledonia approved a bill designed to promote economic attractiveness and modernise administrative and economic procedures.
The legislation aims to restore trust between the administration and companies through measures that promote transparency, strengthen legal security, and improve administrative efficiency. Key provisions include:
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If the administration does not respond to a request within two months, it will be deemed accepted.
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Mistakes made in good faith by economic operators will no longer be treated as fraud.
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Administrative bodies will be required to share information already provided by users, reducing repetitive submissions under the “Tell us once” principle.
The draft law also seeks to create a more competitive environment in line with international standards by introducing two fully digital services:
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A unique register of companies (RUE), replacing multiple existing registers such as RCS and RIDET.
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A one-stop digital enterprise (GUE), a centralised portal for all corporate formalities.
To further simplify processes, the government proposes easing legal publications and streamlining corporate tax and social contributions.
“It is a real priority for the government to be able to simplify the lives of businesses in New Caledonia,” said Christopher Gygès, member of the government for economy, budget and finance.
“The unique register of companies will, among other things, significantly reduce the time needed to establish a company, from three months today to one day, and allow the various steps to be completed online. We have also removed numerous unnecessary administrative procedures that weigh on the economy and the entrepreneurial capacity of Caledonians," Gygès said.
The bill also aims to facilitate and secure electronic transactions by removing obstacles to digitalisation, simplifying procedures, and modernising the legal value of electronic documents.
This drive for administrative simplification and modernisation is intended to promote enterprise development, employment, and wealth creation. “This simplification should allow for more agility in the economy and therefore foster growth,” Gygès concluded.
