Starting from August 1st, the newly revised "Beijing Food Business License Review Rules" (referred to as the "new regulations") officially came into effect. There are many important adjustments in this new regulation, including the complete cancellation of the requirement that the area of catering service business premises must not be less than 6 square meters. At the same time, for simple production and sales and self-made beverage production and sales, it is allowed to simplify equipment and facilities, specialized areas, and other review contents according to the operating procedures. These adjustments can better fit the business characteristics of small and micro enterprises such as milk tea shops and dessert shops, as well as emerging catering formats, and help operators achieve flexible and efficient operations. The cancellation of the minimum area requirement for catering service business premises is a major highlight of the new regulations and has also solved many bottlenecks and pain points for small and micro catering operators. According to the original food business license review rules, to open a restaurant in Beijing, even if it only sells milk tea, fried chicken or steamed buns, the store area must be at least 6 square meters, otherwise the business license cannot be obtained. The threshold for catering business area objectively hinders the entrepreneurial needs of many people, and some small and micro catering operators reluctantly rent larger stores, resulting in increased operating costs. Now, the restriction on the operating area of catering has been lifted, and small and micro catering operators can choose suitable operating venues according to their actual needs without considering the venue area, thus having greater choice space, stronger operational flexibility, and more operational convenience. For small and micro catering shops, the adjustment of the new regulations is also a form of relaxation. Small and micro catering shops often do not have high requirements for operating area, and even smaller areas of three to four square meters can be opened and operated. The cancellation of business area restrictions is in line with their actual situation and business characteristics, which helps to lower their entrepreneurial threshold and operating costs, release business demand and vitality, improve business compliance, and reduce regulatory conflicts. In addition to the cancellation of area restrictions, the new regulations also simplify the requirements for on-site inspections of simple production and sales, further lowering the threshold and burden for small and micro catering shops. Of course, relaxation does not mean laissez faire, and simplification does not mean simplicity. Although small restaurants have a small area, food safety cannot be taken lightly. The new regulations retain the mandatory items for food safety, such as hand washing and disinfection, standardized food storage, standardized tool cleaning, and so on. None of these key processes can be omitted. The reviewers will also conduct on-site inspections to check whether the dedicated room is equipped with relevant equipment and facilities, and whether it meets food safety requirements. So, what needs to be released and what needs to be controlled, not only provides more living space for small and micro catering, but also maintains the bottom line of food safety. Given the reality, it is not uncommon to see "fly restaurants" and "fly shops" with an area of a few square meters in the city. These small and micro restaurants are close to the daily needs of the people, not only providing consumers with distinctive cuisine, but also enriching the market format. In this regard, it is feasible to lift the area limit for catering operations. Small and micro catering, although small in scale, is an important component of urban economy and an important channel for employment. Providing a reasonable living space for small and micro catering provides more opportunities for people to make a living through small-scale operations, offers more opportunities for the market economy, and provides consumers with more convenient choices, achieving a win-win situation. Beijing's lifting of restrictions on catering business area and related supporting measures have not only solved the practical difficulties of small and micro catering operators, but also maintained necessary pressure on food safety supervision, reflecting a refined governance mindset. It has positive significance in optimizing the business environment, promoting employment and entrepreneurship, and protecting people's livelihoods. The more policy adjustments like this, the better. In market access, market supervision, and other urban governance processes, more flexible and pragmatic rules should be formulated based on the business characteristics and actual needs of different industries and formats. On the basis of firmly securing the bottom line of food safety, safety production, and operation, unnecessary restrictions should be lifted and loosened appropriately, so that market entities of all sizes can operate more easily and make people's lives more convenient. (New Society)