The Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Index was a ranking system created by the World Bank Group that assessed the regulatory environment for business operations in different countries. It was designed to measure how easy or difficult it was to start and run a business in each country, based on various factors such as starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, obtaining credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency.
The EODB Index was discontinued by the World Bank in 2021 following a series of data irregularities and ethical concerns that surfaced regarding the manipulation of the rankings. Since then, the World Bank has been working on developing a new assessment framework to replace the EODB Index, with a focus on improving transparency, objectivity, and inclusivity.
The Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Index ranked countries based on the ease with which business operations could be conducted, and the top-ranked countries were considered to have the most business-friendly regulations. As of the last available rankings before the index was discontinued in 2021, the top countries were:
- New Zealand - Consistently ranked at the top due to its straightforward processes for starting a business, registering property, and enforcing contracts.
- Singapore - Known for its efficient regulations, particularly in areas like dealing with construction permits and protecting minority investors.
- Hong Kong SAR, China - Scored highly in areas like paying taxes, trading across borders, and getting credit.
- Denmark - Recognized for its ease in starting a business, resolving insolvency, and overall regulatory efficiency.
- South Korea - Noted for its electronic government services, making it easier for businesses to comply with regulations.
- United States - Strong in getting credit, enforcing contracts, and overall business regulation efficiency.
- Georgia - Gained recognition for its reforms that made it easier to start a business and register property.
- United Kingdom - Ranked highly due to its regulatory environment, especially in protecting minority investors and trading across borders.
- Norway - Known for its efficient property registration processes and supportive business regulations.
- Sweden - Scored well in paying taxes and resolving insolvency.
These rankings were based on various criteria related to business regulations, and countries that consistently ranked high were recognized for their business-friendly environments. Keep in mind that this list reflects the situation as of the last EODB report in 2020, and the rankings are no longer updated following the discontinuation of the index.