The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) and the Cabinet Secretariat, in collaboration with the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), convened the Business Regulatory Stakeholder Meeting on 26 November 2025 in Thimphu. The meeting brought together key government agencies, around 70 representatives from the private sector, and relevant stakeholders to deliberate on ongoing national efforts to improve Bhutan’s business regulatory environment.
Hon’ble Lyonpo chaired the meeting and reaffirmed the Government’s strong commitment to enhancing the ease of doing business and expediting regulatory reforms to create a more predictable and enabling economic climate. Private sector representatives acknowledged the Government’s initiatives and expressed their readiness to collaborate further toward a more business-friendly regulatory ecosystem.
The meeting provided an update on the implementation of recommendations contained in the Comprehensive Business Regulatory Review Report, which was submitted by MoICE to the Government in March 2024. Presentations highlighted the significant progress made to date, including multi-agency consultations and validation efforts undertaken to address concerns raised by the private sector.
Conducted over the last 18 months, the review represents the most extensive regulatory reform exercise ever undertaken in Bhutan. It initially identified 235 issues, refined to 210 core regulatory challenges across areas such as licensing and permits, taxation, labour regulations, access to finance and markets, land and infrastructure, and public service delivery. Of these, 116 issues have been fully resolved, 59 remain under active consideration by agencies, and 28 are being prepared for Cabinet-level intervention.
As directed by the Cabinet, MoICE and the Cabinet Secretariat also introduced Phase II of the Business Regulatory Review, targeting deeper systemic issues across ministries and agencies. To date, 955 regulatory instruments – including policies, Acts, rules and regulations, guidelines and SOPs, executive orders, notifications and internal mechanisms – have been identified as having an impact on business conduct. Stakeholders engaged in
substantive discussions on proposed interventions, key challenges, and measures to streamline these regulatory instruments.
Speaking on the next phase of the reform process, Hon’ble Lyonpo clarified that regulatory reform is not about deregulation or dismantling necessary safeguards. He stated sound regulations are critical to protect consumers, safeguard cultural and environmental aspects, uphold fair competition, and reinforce investor confidence. The government intends to deliver not just fewer regulations, but regulations that are predictable, clear, and consistently applied without frequent changes or differing interpretations.
Going forward, the MoICE and the Cabinet Secretariat will continue to work with all stakeholders to fully address the 210 issues identified in the 2024 Review Report, while simultaneously streamlining, harmonising, and rationalising the 955 regulatory instruments that currently influence ease of doing business in the country.
