A method of decoding a coded video bitstream implemented by a video decoder, comprising: parsing, from the coded video bitstream, a flag; parsing, from the coded video bitstream, a ref_pic_list_sps_flag and a ref_pic_list_idx to a first reference picture list syntax structure; determining that a _ref_pic_list_sps_flag and a _ref_piclist_idx to a second reference picture list syntax structure are not present in a slice header of the coded video bitstream and values of the ref_pic_list_sps_flag and the ref_pic_list_idx to the second reference picture list syntax structure are the same as values of the ref_pic_list_sps_flag and the ref_pic_list_idx to the first reference picture list syntax structure respectively, when the flag has a first value; wherein the ref_pic_list_sps_flag[ i] equal to 1 specifies that a reference picture list i of a current picture is derived based on one of reference picture list syntax structures with a listIdx equal to i in an active sequence parameter set, SPS; the ref_pic_list_sps_flag[ i] equal to 0 specifies that the reference picture list i of the current picture is derived based on a reference picture list syntax structure with the listIdx equal to i that is directly included in the slice header; the ref_pic_list_idx[ i] specifies an index, into a list of the reference picture list syntax structures with the listIdx equal to i included in the active SPS, of the reference picture list syntax structure with the listIdx equal to i that is used for derivation of the reference picture list i of the current picture; i equal to 0 or 1; parsing, from the slice header, the ref_pic_list_sps_flag and the ref_pic_list_idx to the second reference picture list syntax structure when the flag has a second value; generating a reference picture list using at least one of the first reference picture list syntax structure or the second reference picture list syntax structure from the coded video bitstream; and performing inter-prediction based on the reference picture list to generate a reconstructed block. parsing, from the coded video bitstream, a flag; parsing, from the coded video bitstream, a ref_pic_list_sps_flag and a ref_pic_list_idx to a first reference picture list syntax structure; determining that a _ref_pic_list_sps_flag and a _ref_piclist_idx to a second reference picture list syntax structure are not present in a slice header of the coded video bitstream and values of the ref_pic_list_sps_flag and the ref_pic_list_idx to the second reference picture list syntax structure are the same as values of the ref_pic_list_sps_flag and the ref_pic_list_idx to the first reference picture list syntax structure respectively, when the flag has a first value; wherein the ref_pic_list_sps_flag[ i] equal to 1 specifies that a reference picture list i of a current picture is derived based on one of reference picture list syntax structures with a listIdx equal to i in an active sequence parameter set, SPS; the ref_pic_list_sps_flag[ i] equal to 0 specifies that the reference picture list i of the current picture is derived based on a reference picture list syntax structure with the listIdx equal to i that is directly included in the slice header; the ref_pic_list_idx[ i] specifies an index, into a list of the reference picture list syntax structures with the listIdx equal to i included in the active SPS, of the reference picture list syntax structure with the listIdx equal to i that is used for derivation of the reference picture list i of the current picture; i equal to 0 or 1; parsing, from the slice header, the ref_pic_list_sps_flag and the ref_pic_list_idx to the second reference picture list syntax structure when the flag has a second value; generating a reference picture list using at least one of the first reference picture list syntax structure or the second reference picture list syntax structure from the coded video bitstream; and performing inter-prediction based on the reference picture list to generate a reconstructed block. the ref_pic_list_sps_flag[ i] equal to 1 specifies that a reference picture list i of a current picture is derived based on one of reference picture list syntax structures with a listIdx equal to i in an active sequence parameter set, SPS; the ref_pic_list_sps_flag[ i] equal to 0 specifies that the reference picture list i of the current picture is derived based on a reference picture list syntax structure with the listIdx equal to i that is directly included in the slice header; the ref_pic_list_idx[ i] specifies an index, into a list of the reference picture list syntax structures with the listIdx equal to i included in the active SPS, of the reference picture list syntax structure with the listIdx equal to i that is used for derivation of the reference picture list i of the current picture; i equal to 0 or 1; parsing, from the slice header, the ref_pic_list_sps_flag and the ref_pic_list_idx to the second reference picture list syntax structure when the flag has a second value; generating a reference picture list using at least one of the first reference picture list syntax structure or the second reference picture list syntax structure from the coded video bitstream; and performing inter-prediction based on the reference picture list to generate a reconstructed block.