Suchergebnisse

This Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Tunisia, prepared jointly by International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) covers the period Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 through FY 2020. The CPF is anchored in the Government of Tunisia's September 2015 Note d'Orientation Stratégique and the WBG's October 2015 Strategy for the Middle East and North Africa Region. It builds on extensive discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, and is underpinned by WBG analytics, including the June 2015 Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD). The Government's "Note d'Orientation Stratégique" outlines Tunisia's development vision for the next five years. Its main premise is that Tunisia will maintain its strong partnerships with the international community; rely on the private sector to lead economic growth and job creation; and promote a vibrant civil society. Technical ministries and regions are in the process of preparing their five-year sectorial plans based on this vision, for which financing will be sought during an international donor conference in late 2016.

This program document presents the World Bank Group (WBG) FY17-22 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Bulgaria. The timing of the new CPF follows the preparation of theSystematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) prepared in FY15, and informs the areas and objectives ofthe CPF in support of the WBG's twin goals to reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity1 for the bottom forty percent of the population. The CPF proposes to focus WBG support in selective areas aligned with the SCD, in response to clear Government demand, supporting and complementing Bulgaria's European Union agenda, and reflecting the WBG's comparative advantage. In addition, the CPF applies two key principles for engagement, including: (i) realism, recognizing that the WBG plays a selective role and that it will contribute most effectively by being strategic and catalytic in supporting key elements of Bulgaria's development agenda, and (ii) scalability, creating opportunities to engage in dialogue and analytical work that may create space for broader engagement in areas where there is potential for transformational impact, including IFC investments in private sector development. Government demand is focused primarily on the agenda to strengthen public institutions, notably in the financial and energy sectors. The WBG will complement that focus by investing its own resources to stay engaged in the inclusion agenda, which is critical to the WBG twin goals. CPF proposes to cover a six year period, with Progress Learning Reviews (PLRs) will facilitate a more proactive approach to monitoring results and ensure close alignment with the country-led strategy.

The new Country Partnership Framework (CPF or framework) presents the engagement of the World Bank Group (WBG) in Sri Lanka over the next four years (fiscal years 2017-20 (FY17–20)). The CPF aims to support the achievement of some of the government's medium-term goals in areas that are critical for reducing extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity, and that are consistent with the WBG's comparative advantage. Notably, the CPF provides the framework for engagement in several key policy areas. Following presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015, the new coalition government, the National Government of Consensus, has set out an ambitious vision for Sri Lanka. It focuses on supporting job creation in the private sector, advancing the country's global integration, improving governance, enhancing human development and social inclusion, and balancing development with environmental conservation. The vision has been captured in the Prime Minister's Economic Policy Statement of November 5, 2015. The new government's development agenda is well aligned with the findings of the 2015 Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) for Sri Lanka. The SCD identified the most critical constraints and opportunities facing Sri Lanka in accelerating progress toward the twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity in a sustainable manner. The analysis concluded that key priorities are to address the country's fiscal, competitiveness, and inclusion challenges, as well as cross-cutting governance and social, economic, and environmental sustainability challenges. The CPF is anchored in this analysis.

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation ; This report shows how business registers employ information and communication technology (ICT) to perform their functions more efficiently while at the same time providing businesses with more user-friendly services. Particular attention is paid to achieving innovative solutions, that is, solutions using ICT as a catalyst for re-engineering the registration process to improve users experiences and to provide useful services and high-quality information for both the private and the public sectors. In addition, this analysis demonstrates that business registers play an increasingly important part in e-Government solutions. Aimed at integrating services, e-Government solutions build on information sharing. This underscores the importance of business registers as master data sources. This analysis is based on data from the following sources: a 2011 survey of 41 business registers conducted by the Bronnoysund register centre in cooperation with the World Bank Group; case studies undertaken in 2011 in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Italy, Vietnam, and Norway; the 2011 World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) doing business report; the 2011 World Bank Group study of ICT solutions in 34 company registers; the 2011 European commerce registers forum report; and the International Council On Archives (CIA) factbook.

This paper examines the general purpose licensing imposed by central or local authorities, and the need to eliminate unnecessary licensing regulations imposed on businesses. This paper does not address the issue of reform of sector-specific or professional licensing regulation, but provides criteria and tools for identifying unnecessary licensing regulations, and their elimination or, in some instances, for changing licensing regulations to free notifications. Indeed, this paper argues that a simplified review of licensing regimes that identifies unnecessary licensing saves energy and resources for well-balanced reform of remaining licensing regulations, eventually providing better protection for the public at large and a more enabling business environment. This paper is primarily oriented towards reform practitioners from governments that intend to reform their business environments; development agencies; donor-funded projects; practitioners of licensing reforms; and others interested in improving state and local governance. This paper is divided into three parts: (1) overview of licensing practices that provides common definitions of licensing, analysis of justified licensing regimes with focus on criteria for their justification, and theoretical overview of unjustified and questionable licenses; (2) analysis of commonly declared functions of unjustified licenses that provides insight into the nature of these licenses and their typology; and (3) four case studies that examine how unjustified licenses can be reformed with examples of unsuccessful, partially successful, and successful reform efforts. The analytical conclusions of this paper summarize criteria for unjustified licenses; describe lessons learned from the reform efforts; and provide a practical set of recommendations to the interested parties.

Facility for Investment Climate Advisory Services (FIAS) ; Since investment climate reforms in developing countries started gaining traction in the 1990s, most efforts have focused on issues at the national level, achieving varying degrees of success for reasons that are relatively well understood. This handbook provides an overview of efforts and achievements in subnational investment climate reforms. It is organized as follows. Chapter 2 reviews a number of countries experiences with subnational reforms, noting both success stories and disappointments and pointing toward lessons learned. Chapter 3 sets out the basic principles of subnational revenue, including business taxation. Chapter 4 describes sound licensing practices for subnational governments, including establishing licensing fees. Chapter 5 provides recommendations for subnational reform projects where both the regulatory authority and taxation require attention, which is the most common situation. Finally, the Appendix offers nine case studies covering subnational reform efforts in the following countries: Canada (British Columbia), The Russian Federation, China, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru (Lima), The Balkans (Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina), Tajikistan, and Zambia.

Sierra Leone's devastating 11-year civil war destroyed much of its infrastructure, and left its economy in tatters. In 2004, two years after the end of the war, Sierra Leone asked the investment climate (IC) advisory services of the World Bank Group to help create a better business and investment climate that will lay a foundation for the country's future economic growth. Answering the call, the World Bank Group's IC advisory services partnered with the United Kingdom's (UK's) Department for International Development (DFID) to design a program to help Sierra Leone improve its business climate, encourage job creation, and spur investment. The result of this partnership was the removing administrative barriers to investment (RABI) program, which ran from 2004 to 2010. RABI pioneered a collaborative approach by working closely with the government, local institutions, and the private sector to implement a comprehensive, integrated agenda that focused on reforms in the following four areas: reducing barriers to businesses operating in the formal sector by simplifying new business registration.; streamlining tax administration, reforming tax policy, and supporting the national revenue authority to simplify taxes; creating a platform for effective and constructive dialogue between the government and the private sector in focal areas such as financial sector reform, access to land, and overall improvements in the investment climate, and supporting reform in those areas; and building and developing an effective investment and trade facilitation structure and promoting Sierra Leone as a vibrant and desirable location for business, especially in the tourism and agribusiness sectors. The RABI program was innovative and responsive, conducting rapid diagnostics, proposing integrated solutions, and moving quickly into implementation with support staff on the ground. The program was also one of the first of its kind to operate in a conflict-affected country, which demand specialized and targeted support solutions.

The purpose of this report is to introduce and present key components of the regulatory governance agenda, and to discuss its relevance for developing countries. The paper identifies failings and knowledge gaps relevant to the implementation of regulatory governance initiatives, and it discusses how lessons already learned can guide reformers and donor organizations in their continued efforts to promote sustainable growth and private sector development through better and more efficient regulation. Following the executive summary and this introduction, the paper is divided into the following sections: regulatory governance - what is it? This section defines and introduces basic concepts of regulatory governance. Regulation and economic growth - in this section, the links between regulatory governance reforms and economic growth are clarified. Major building blocks of a regulatory governance system - this section explores the main building blocks of a regulatory governance system and highlights elements of relevance for developing countries. Application of regulatory governance tools and approaches in developing countries. This section summarizes the pros and cons for applying regulatory governance tools in developing countries, and summarizes the recorded results and experiences with regulatory governance tools in three developing countries. Looking ahead: should donors and governments invest more in regulatory governance? The paper concludes with the lessons learned and not yet learned, and challenges ahead for the regulatory governance agenda in developing countries.

Investing Across Borders 2010 (IAB) presents cross-country indicators analyzing laws, regulations, and practices affecting foreign direct investment (FDI) in 87 economies. The indicators focus on 4 thematic areas measuring how foreign companies invest across sectors, start local businesses, access industrial land, and arbitrate commercial disputes. The indicators combine analysis of laws and regulations, as well as their implementation. They explore differences across countries to identify good practices, facilitate learning opportunities, stimulate reforms, and provide cross-country data for research and analysis. The project's methodology is based on the World Bank Group's Doing Business initiative. The IAB indicators draw on data collected through a survey of lawyers, other professional service providers (mainly accounting and consulting firms), investment promotion institutions, chambers of commerce, and other expert respondents in each of the countries measured. Between April and December 2009 more than 2,350 experts in 87 economies responded to the survey to provide data for this report. This chapter presents the report's main findings including examples of FDI competitiveness-enhancing practices for each indicator area. It also provides key results for each region. IAB does not measure all aspects of the business environment that matter to investors. For example, it does not measure security, macroeconomic stability, market size and potential, corruption, skill levels, or infrastructure quality. Still, the indicators provide a starting point for governments seeking to improve their competitiveness in attracting foreign investment.

This paper includes an overall introduction to the uses (and abuses) of business licenses, and to the way business licensing reforms can be organized. It also provides a broad overview and framework for licensing reforms. This paper is supported by more detailed case studies of licensing reform in particular sectors, and other guidance for facilities and field operations. This includes a detailed manual on 'how to' review and reform licenses and also information about how to apply effective and insightful Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to licensing reviews and reforms. Part one of this paper provides a contextual overview of key issues associated with government regulation. The rationale for government regulation (including licensing) is discussed, along with a description of the benefits and features of good regulatory design. Part two discusses the features of business licenses, the potential advantages and disadvantages of licensing and a discussion of the use of licensing fees and charges. Part three provides an overview of 'how to' reform business licenses and licensing systems. It summarizes broad approaches to reform, such as using a comprehensive 'top-down' approach to reviewing the stock of existing licenses, or where appropriate using a more targeted approach which focuses on particular types or categories of licenses. Part four of this paper focuses on M&E of licensing reform and simplification programs. This includes developing an M&E framework and measuring the significance and effects (e.g., the frequency and administrative burdens) generated by different types of licenses.

In the private sector, outsourcing has become a recognized feature of the business scene. While there are various reasons for contracting out functions to external organizations, in general the justification relates to the potential cost-benefit from adopting this approach. This study set out to ascertain whether the same considerations applied to administrative procedures associated with starting a business. Did business registries outsource any or all of their functions? If so, did the same considerations apply as for the private sector? Were there lessons to be learned from their experience? Responses to these and other questions were received from 53 registries. This paper is not about global commerce, at least, not in the usual sense. It is about some of the more mundane administrative procedures that underpin the activities of the private sector, the basics that help it to function. Business registration is seen as a key factor in determining the investment climate of a country.

This report is an output of the Better Regulation for Growth Program between the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and IC, the Investment Climate Advisory Services of the World Bank Group. The reports identifies a set of minimum requirements for a well-functioning Ria light system that is tailored to the requirements of developing countries. Embracing the overall objectives and relevance of RIA, the paper explores the fundamental set of building blocks and activities required to establish and maintain a RIA light system, taking into account what it is considered as good practice. The paper argues that the following five basic criteria have to be in place for a functioning RIA system, which is referred to as "RIA light": 1) political commitment to establish and operate an effective and self sustaining RIA process; 2) a unit or group of regulatory reformers - preferably based in a central area of government - which oversees, comments and reports on the quality of regulatory proposals before decisions are made about regulation; 3) clear and consistently applied criteria and rules employed to screen regulatory proposals; 4) a transparent regulatory policy development process, which includes consultation with stakeholders; and 5) a capacity building program, involving preparation of guidelines; training of officials preparing RIA and facilitating the required cultural changes, and establishing monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems.

Regulatory reform has emerged as an important policy area in developing countries. For reforms to be beneficial, regulatory regimes need to be transparent, coherent, and comprehensive. They must establish appropriate institutional frameworks and liberalized business regulations; enforce competition policy and law; and open external and internal markets to trade and investment. This report examines the institutional set-up for and use of regulatory policy instruments in Kenya. It is one of five reports prepared on countries in East and Southern Africa (the others are on Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania). The report is based on a review of public documents prepared by the government, donors, and the private sector, and on a limited number of interviews with key institutions and individuals.

Regulatory reform and competition policy are two important and inter-related areas of regulatory policy and public administration. Both can play a key role in improving the quality of regulation, and creating healthy and competitive markets and an attractive investment climate. This in turn leads to greater economic growth, employment and incomes. Part one of this paper discusses definitions and key issues associated with regulation, regulatory quality, and competition policy. This discussion focuses on competition policy as it relates to restrictions on competition and also pro-competitive regulation, which involves protecting consumers through economic regulation. Part two of this paper considers institutions and processes for implementing regulatory quality and competition policy agendas, including regulatory agencies, regulatory reform bodies, competition authorities and broader regulation-making processes. Part three notes the importance of assessing competition policy issues on a case-by-case basis and identifies the main objectives and features of competition policy. This includes a discussion about when competition policy issues are likely to play an important role in regulatory assessment and reform. Part four considers mechanisms for coordinating- where appropriate-competition policy and regulatory quality assessments, including undertaking competition assessments and providing advice to decision makers.

Regulatory reform has emerged as an important policy area in developing countries. For reforms to be beneficial, regulatory regimes need to be transparent, coherent, and comprehensive. They must establish appropriate institutional frameworks and liberalized business regulations; enforce competition policy and law; and open external and internal markets to trade and investment. This report examines the institutional set-up for and use of regulatory policy instruments in Zambia. It is one of five reports prepared on countries in East and Southern Africa (the others are on Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania). The report is based on a review of public documents prepared by the government, donors, and the private sector, and on a limited number of interviews with key institutions and individuals.