Transparency in Business Regulation

The new data on the accessibility of regulatory information, collected between January and August 2012, measures how easy it is to access fee schedules for 4 regulatory processes in the largest business city of an economy: registering a new company, obtaining a building permit, connecting a business to electricity and transferring property. Fee schedules are considered easily accessible if they can be obtained either through the website of the relevant agency or through public notices (e.g., brochures or notice boards) available at the agency or a related one, without a need to meet with an official. They are considered not easily accessible if they can be obtained only by meeting with an official.

For incorporation fees the relevant agency is the company registry; for building permit fees, the building department; for electricity connection fees, the distribution utility or electricity regulator; and for property transfer fees, the property registry. The data was collected with the support of USAID.

How transparent is business regulation?

This case study finds that easier access to regulatory information such as fee schedules is associated with greater regulatory efficiency, lower compliance costs and better regulatory quality for businesses.

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Economy ▲	Are fee schedules for starting a business easily available?	Available only upon request from agency’s employee?	Published in laws/ decree/ regulation/ gazette?	Brochures, boards or other public notices at the agency’s office?	Easily available online?	Website
Afghanistan	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.aisa.af
Albania	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.qkr.gov.al
Algeria	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.cnrc.org.dz
Angola	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.gue.minjus-ao.com
Antigua and Barbuda	No	No	Yes	No	No
Argentina	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.jus.gov.ar
Armenia	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.e-register.am
Australia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.asic.gov.au, www.asic.gov.au
Austria	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.ris.bka.gv.at
Azerbaijan	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.taxes.gov.az
Bahamas, The	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.moic.gov.bh
Bahrain	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.rjsc.org
Bangladesh	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.caipo.gov.bb
Belarus	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Websites of each Registration Office e.g. Minsk: www.minsk.gov.by
Belgium	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Websites of the recognized one-stop shops: www.xerius.be, www.securex.eu Website Annexes to the Be
Belize	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.belizecompaniesregistry.gov.bz, www.belizelaw.org
Benin	No	No	Yes	No	No
Bhutan	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.moea.gov.bt
Bolivia	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.fundempresa.org.bo
Bosnia and Herzegovina	No	No	Yes	No	No
Botswana	No	No	Yes	No	No
Brazil	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.jucesp.fazenda.sp.gov.br
Brunei Darussalam	No	No	Yes	No	No	www.eregistry.agc.gov.br (restricted to submission of forms and are not all conclusive)
Bulgaria	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.brra.bg
Burkina Faso	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.me.bf
Burundi	No	No	Yes	No	No
Cambodia	No	No	Yes	No	No
Cameroon	No	No	Yes	No	No
Canada	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.ic.gc.ca
Cape Verde	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Central African Republic	No	No	Yes	No	No
Chad	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Chile	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.conservador.cl
China	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.shzw.eastday.com
Colombia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.ccb.org.co
Comoros	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.comores.e-regulations.org
Congo, Dem. Rep.	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Congo, Rep.	No	No	Yes	No	No
Costa Rica	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.rnpdigital.com
Côte d'Ivoire	No	Yes	No	No	No
Croatia	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.tszg.hr
Cyprus	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.mcit.gov.cy
Czech Republic	No	No	Yes	No	No
Denmark	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.virk.dk
Djibouti	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Dominica	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.dominica.gov.dm
Dominican Republic	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.onapi.gob.do
Ecuador	No	No	Yes	No	No
Egypt, Arab Rep.	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.gafinet.org
El Salvador	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.cnr.sv
Equatorial Guinea	No	Yes	No	No	No
Eritrea	No	Yes	No	No	No
Estonia	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.just.ee
Ethiopia	No	No	Yes	No	No
Fiji	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.egov.gov.fj
Finland	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.prh.fi
France	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.greffes.com www.infogreffe.fr
Gabon	No	Yes	No	No	No
Gambia, The	No	Yes	No	No	No
Georgia	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.napr.gov.ge
Germany	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.gesetze-im-internet.de
Ghana	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.grd.gov.gh
Greece	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	www.startupgreece.gov.gr
Grenada	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.caipo.gov.gd
Guatemala	No	No	Yes	No	No
Guinea	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Guinea-Bissau	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Guyana	No	No	Yes	No	No
Haiti	No	No	Yes	No	No
Honduras	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.sic.gob.hn
Hong Kong SAR, China	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.cr.gov.hk, www.ird.gov.hk, www.ird.gov.hk
Hungary	No	No	Yes	No	No
Iceland	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.rsk.is
India	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.mca.gov.in
Indonesia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.sisminbakum.go.id
Iran, Islamic Rep.	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.ssaa.ir
Iraq	No	Yes	No	No	No
Ireland	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.cro.ie
Israel	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.justice.gov.il
Italy	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.registroimprese.it www.rm.camcom.it
Jamaica	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.orcamaica.com
Japan	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.nta.go.jp
Jordan	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.ccd.gov.jo
Kazakhstan	No	No	Yes	No	No
Kenya	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.attorney-general.go.ke
Kiribati	No	Yes	No	No	No
Korea, Rep.	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.startbiz.go.kr and other agencies related to the registration of the company e.g. National Insurance Corporation, National Pension Service
Kosovo	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.arbk.org
Kuwait	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.kuwaitchamber.org.kw
Kyrgyz Republic	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.minjust.gov.kg
Lao PDR	No	No	Yes	No	No
Latvia	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.ur.gov.lv
Lebanon	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.idal.com.lb
Lesotho	No	No	No	No	No
Liberia	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.lbr.gov.lr
Lithuania	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.registrucentras.it
Luxembourg	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.rcsl.lu
Macedonia, FYR	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.crm.com.mk
Madagascar	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.edbm.gov.mg
Malawi	No	No	Yes	No	No
Malaysia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.ssm.com.my
Maldives	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.trade.gov.mv
Mali	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.apimali.gov.ml
Malta	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.registry.mfsa.com.mt
Marshall Islands	No	Yes	No	No	No
Mauritania	No	No	Yes	No	No
Mauritius	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.gov.mu
Mexico	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.tuempresa.gob.mx
Micronesia, Fed. Sts.	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Moldova	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.cis.gov.md
Mongolia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.registrationmongolia.com
Montenegro	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.crps.me
Morocco	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.casainvest.ma
Mozambique	No	No	Yes	No	No
Namibia	No	No	Yes	No	No
Nepal	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Netherlands	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.kvk.nl
New Zealand	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.business.govt.nz
Nicaragua	No	No	Yes	No	No
Niger	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.niger.eregulations.org
Nigeria	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.cac.gov.ng
Norway	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.brreg.no
Oman	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.mci.gov.om
Pakistan	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.secp.gov.pk
Palau	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Panama	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.panamaemprende.gob.pa, www.asamblea.gob.pa
Papua New Guinea	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.ipa
Paraguay	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.suae.gov.py
Peru	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.sunarp.gob.pe
Philippines	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.sec.gov.ph
Poland	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	https://ems.ms.gov.pl
Portugal	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.portaldaempresa.pt
Puerto Rico (U.S.)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	https://prcorpfiling.f1hst.com
Qatar	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.mbt.gov.qa
Romania	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.onrc.ro
Russian Federation	No	No	Yes	No	No
Rwanda	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.org.rdb.rw
Samoa	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
São Tomé and Príncipe	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Saudi Arabia	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.sagia.gov.sa
Senegal	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	www.creationdentrprise.sn
Serbia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.apr.gov.rs
Seychelles	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Sierra Leone	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.oarg.gov.sl
Singapore	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.acra.gov.sg, www.psi.gov.sg
Slovak Republic	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.portal.gov.sk
Slovenia	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.pisrs.si, www.evem.gov.si
Solomon Islands	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.companyhaus.gov.sb
South Africa	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.zipco.co.za
Spain	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.rmercantilmadrid.com
Sri Lanka	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.drc.gov.lk
St. Kitts and Nevis	No	No	Yes	No	No
St. Lucia	No	No	Yes	No	No
St. Vincent and the Grenadines	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.gov.vc
Sudan	No	Yes	No	No	No
Suriname	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.surinmechamber.com
Swaziland	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.gov.sz
Sweden	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.bolagsverket.se, www.verksamt.se
Switzerland	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.admin.ch,www.hra.zh.ch
Syrian Arab Republic	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Taiwan, China	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tajikistan	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.andoz.tj
Tanzania	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.brela-tz.org
Thailand	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.dbd.go.th
Timor-Leste	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Togo	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Tonga	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.companies.gov.to
Trinidad and Tobago	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.legalaffairs.gov.tt
Tunisia	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.tunisieindustrie.nat.tn
Turkey	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.ito.org.tr
Uganda	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.ursb.go.ug
Ukraine	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Official website of the appropriate District State Administration (e.g. www.solor.da-kyiv.gov.ua)
United Arab Emirates	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.dubaided.gov.ae
United Kingdom	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.companieshouse.gov.uk
United States	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.dos.ny.gov
Uruguay	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.portaldlaempresa.gub.uy
Uzbekistan	No	No	Yes	No	No	www.gov.uz, www.stat.uz, www.lex.uz, www.minjust.uz
Vanuatu	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.vfsc.vu
Venezuela, RB	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.saren.gob.ve
Vietnam	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	www.vietnam.eregulations.org
West Bank and Gaza	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	www.met.gov.ps
Yemen, Rep.	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Zambia	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	www.pacra.org.zm
Zimbabwe	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No

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Transparency in Business Regulation

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