Differences in Mandate and Work Scope between Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise Pro-Enterprise Office and Pro-Enterprise Panel
Ministry of Trade and IndustrySpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the differences in mandate and accountability between the Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise Pro-Enterprise Office (SME PEO) and the Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP). Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong explained that while the PEP conducts strategic regulatory reviews, the SME PEO serves as a central coordination unit to resolve specific, cross-agency issues for small businesses. Since March 2025, the SME PEO has addressed over 65% of 300 feedback items, including halving approval times for private residential show-flat sites. The Minister emphasized that the SME PEO provides dedicated resources to follow through on policy reviews, complementing the PEP without adding bureaucratic layers. This approach strengthens regulatory responsiveness by engaging industries directly and monitoring resolution outcomes across various government agencies.
Transcript
31 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) how does the small- and medium-sized enterprise Pro-Enterprise Office (PEO) differ in mandate, staffing, and accountability from the existing Pro-Enterprise Panel; (b) what specific outcomes has PEO delivered since its establishment; and (c) whether the creation of a new office alongside an existing panel risks adding bureaucratic layers rather than reducing regulatory friction for businesses.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP) is a public-private panel chaired by the Head of Civil Service, comprising both senior public officers and business leaders representing different sectors and profiles of firms. Formed in 2000, the PEP provides a platform for the Government and industry to discuss and review how rules and regulations can be improved to be more pro-enterprise. The membership of the panel is also updated regularly, so that Government agencies can leverage the private sector members' perspectives on wider Government regulatory reviews and seek their advice.
On the other hand, the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) Pro-Enterprise Office (SME PEO) was set up in March 2025 as a central coordination unit within the Government to strengthen regulatory responsiveness for SMEs and to complement the strategic work of the PEP. It helps SMEs resolve specific regulatory issues, particularly those that cut across multiple public agencies or arise from new and emerging sectors. The SME PEO manages case feedback, implements service standards and monitors resolution outcomes of regulatory feedback and reviews across agencies.
Since its launch, the SME PEO has engaged over 170 business leaders across 15 sectors to gather and act on feedback on regulatory pain points. It has reviewed more than 300 pieces of feedback and successfully addressed over 65% of the issues raised. For example, following the SME PEO's facilitation, Urban Redevelopment Authority and Singapore Land Authority streamlined their processes and halved the time required for developers to obtain approvals for private residential show-flat sites.
The establishment of the SME PEO as an office under Enterprise Singapore provides dedicated resources and efforts to engage the industries more extensively and better assist SMEs in resolving regulatory feedback. In addition, it works closely with the respective agencies and follows through with them on the reviews of their regulatory policies and processes to reduce compliance burden. This complements the work of the PEP, in advancing the regulatory agenda of the Government in a concerted manner.