MANILA - Businesses are still bogged down with long transaction times despite the signing of the Ease of Doing Business Act almost four months ago, the head of a European business group said Wednesday.

The landmark law meant to cut red tape, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last May 28, requires government agencies to act on business applications within 3 days for simple transactions, 7 days for complex ones and 20 days for the highly technical.

But Guenter Taus, president of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, said this was not being followed. 

"No, not even close," Taus said in an interview with ANC's Market Edge. 

From their experience with the Bureau of Customs, simple transactions still take 18 to 19 days, instead of the prescribed 3 days, he said. 

"It really causes a number of serious delays and issues with things coming in." 

Taus said the BOC told them in a recent meeting that the agency was still upgrading its software and retraining customs examiners to work with the new system, months after the law was signed. 

Article was originally published on September 26, 2018 at ABS-CBN News online