10 countries where doing business is getting easier

10 countries where doing business is getting easier

How business-friendly is your country? Each year, the World Bank ranks more than 180 economies on a variety of indicators, from ease of starting a business to protecting investors. Which economies improved the most in 2012-2013? Check out the top 10 “Doing Business” climbers.

#1 Ukraine DB2014 rank: 112 DB2013 rank: 140 No. of reforms: 8

This is the second year Ukraine made the top reformers’ list. Access to credit information and property transfer are now easier as the government has streamlined procedures on both areas. But it remains below the average ranking for Europe and Central Asia which stands at 71.

#2 Rwanda DB2014 rank: 32 DB2013 rank: 54 No. of reforms: 8

Over the last five reports, Rwanda has made the list of top reformers three times. In the latest edition, it jumped 22 spots for, among others, bringing down building permit fees as well as implementing an online building permit application system and a Web-based tool to process land transactions. It is the second easiest economy to do business in sub-Saharan Africa (Mauritius is first).

#3 Russia DB2014 rank: 92 DB2013 rank: 111 No. of reforms: 5

The big jump on the ranking is thanks to a less costly and simpler process to access electricity and streamlined procedures for transferring property. Still, the country is below the average ranking for Europe and Central Asia.

#4 Philippines DB2014 rank: 108 DB2013 rank: 133 No. of reforms: 3

The Asian country earned its place following the enactment of an act that guarantees borrowers’ right to access their data and introduction of an electronic filing and payment system for social security contributions.

#5 Kosovo DB2014 rank: 86 DB2013 rank: 96 No. of reforms: 3

Kosovo made a substantial leap in the ranking for establishing a one-stop shop for incorporation, removing fees for technical approvals from the municipality, decreasing the building permit fee, and combining procedures for drafting and legalizing sale and purchase agreements.

#6 Djibouti DB2014 rank: 160 DB2013 rank: 172 No. of reforms: 3

Djibouti’s most significant reform was to simplify the business registration procedures and eliminate the minimum capital requirement for limited liability companies. That said, it belongs to the bottom three among countries in the Middle East and North Africa when it comes to ease of doing business.

#7 Côte d’Ivoire DB2014 rank: 167 DB2013 rank: 173 No. of reforms: 4

Côte d’Ivoire has established a one-stop shop for starting a business and now requires, at the time of company registration, a sworn declaration rather than a copy of the founders’ criminal records. It has also created a specialized commercial court so enforcing contracts is easier.

#8 Burundi DB2014 rank: 140 DB2013 rank: 157 No. of reforms: 6

It’s Burundi’s third year on this list. It has created one-stop shops for registering businesses and property as well as for obtaining building permits and utility connections. It is just above the average ranking for sub-Saharan African economies (142).

#9 Macedonia DB2014 rank: 25 DB2013 rank: 36 No. of reforms: 6

Like Rwanda and Burundi, Macedonia has appeared at least three times on the top reformers’ list. It ranks higher than Japan (27), Netherlands (28), Switzerland (29), Belgium (36) and France (38). This upper-middle-income economy has made its biggest strides in easing the burden for companies to get electricity and credit as well as improving investor protection.

#10 Guatemala DB2014 rank: 79 DB2013 rank: 93 No. of reforms: 3

The Central American country first made the list in the 2007 edition of the report. Aside from developing an electronic tax filing and payment system and an online platform that enables simultaneous registration of a new company with different public agencies, the government has created a one-stop shop for processing construction permits.

Read more on boosting the developing world’s private sector on Devex.com.