According to World Bank rankings, the best countries for doing business are not always global giants such as Brazil, China or even India. In fact, none of these three countries are even in the top ten. China, for example, which ranks second in the world in terms of economic development, is at the level of the 90s of the last century in terms of ease of doing business, and over all these years it has not been able to improve its status.

The WB report evaluates countries based on 10 key indicators that contribute to effective business cooperation. The most important criteria include the ease of starting a business, ease of obtaining building permits, access to electrical networks, ease of registering property, the ability to obtain a loan, protection for minority shareholders, tax rates and tax collection methods, opportunities to enter foreign trade markets, ease of execution of contracts, procedure for declaring bankruptcy. Labor market regulation is also considered when compiling these rankings.

Finland

Finland is one of the most attractive countries in the world for business. It is not difficult to open or close your own business here - there are no bureaucratic barriers. The state supports entrepreneurs at the national and regional levels and launches programs to attract foreign investors to the country. Entrepreneurs are also attracted by low interest rates on loans, not exceeding 5-8% per annum, and for Agriculture- 3% per annum.

Norway

Norway has successfully combined a highly functional technology sector and vibrant workforce with strong national social protections for its citizens, attracting businesspeople from all over the world. In addition, Norway has one of the most efficient systems for starting/closing a business, thanks to which a business can be started in just 4 days, while the relative cost of starting a business is quite low (only 0.90% of annual income per capita).

Sweden

The highly skilled workforce is one of the many factors that make Sweden a great country to do business in. Strong infrastructure and well developed social programs also attract potential investors.

United States

Although corporate tax rates in the US are relatively steep, the government makes up for this with very low costs of servicing businesses. The symbolic costs of supplies, office maintenance and logistics attract budding businessmen.

Canada

Canada creates favorable conditions for the development of all types of business - manufacturing, trade, agriculture. At the same time, the state supports both domestic and foreign businessmen and does not create obstacles to the activities of foreign companies. The country has low income and profit tax rates, as well as low costs for starting/closing a business. Positive factors are low level crime and lack of bureaucracy, as well as legal guarantees for investors.

United Kingdom

According to a World Bank report, the low costs associated with starting a business in the UK, combined with increased levels of entrepreneurial optimism, contributed to the country's high ranking. According to the report, 88% of Britons believe that hard work will help achieve success, compared with just 80% of Britons last year and 76% in 2010. To start a business in the United Kingdom, you only need £81 (about $122 US).

Hong Kong

Although getting started in Hong Kong is becoming increasingly difficult due to rising registration fees and the increasing complexity of starting a business, for minority investors (shareholders), the financial center is a very favorable region considering strong defense this business niche. According to experts, Hong Kong ranks fifth in terms of ease of doing business, and also has a high rating due to the ease of obtaining construction permits and conducting foreign trade activities.

South Korea

This country is full of contradictions. The greatest support in South Korea is received by those who invest in the manufacturing sector, as well as entrepreneurs who contribute to the innovative development of the country and are involved in the introduction of new technologies. It is quite difficult to engage in trade or construction in South Korea. Lending to the business sector is also at an average level, given the complexity of obtaining a loan. The report also talks about the tax burden of investors. Nevertheless, many seek to start their business in South Korea.

Denmark

The World Bank's Doing Business report notes that Denmark's efficient electronic accounting process is one of the main factors contributing to the country's high business ranking. Effective electronic accounting allows you to quickly and easily register new businesses and maintain tax and insurance records. These procedures can be completed in as little as one day, and the company's start-up fee is only 670 CZK (approximately $98 USD). Cross-border trade in Denmark is encouraged as it has a "free border" so documentary support export and import is not difficult. According to the same report, the Danish government is a leader in enforcing rules that promote market interaction between businesses and the private sector.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, you can open your own business in just a few hours thanks to a simple online process. Over the past few decades, New Zealand has transformed from an agricultural country largely dependent on the British market to a world leader among industrialized countries with efficient market economies. The country emerged from recession in 2009 and has since achieved an average annual growth rate of 3-5%. A World Bank report found that New Zealand is the best country when it comes to protecting minority investors (shareholders) and is also the best for starting a business. Government free trade agreements, competition provisions, effective tax codes and open politic system are a contribution to its high rating.

Singapore

The report states that Singapore continues to be the country with the most favorable and safe environment for doing business. For example, the resolution of commercial disputes in the Singapore court system takes on average about 150 days, which is the most short term worldwide. The court fee is about 26% of the value of the claim, which is significantly lower compared to other countries, many of which litigation are delayed for 3 years or more, and fees exceed 50% of the cost of the disputed issue. For example, in the US it takes 420 days to resolve a commercial dispute and the cost of the procedure is more than 31% of the claim, as stated in the same report.

Now you know which country has the most favorable conditions for running a personal business.

The best countries for business. This includes the UK, which took the lead after voting to leave the European Union in 2019. European states are rated highly in terms of financial freedom, innovation, infrastructure and low levels of corruption. Russia was located approximately in the middle of the ranking, taking 58th place.

We rank the best countries to do business by assessing 153 countries on fifteen different factors, which include: property rights, innovation, taxation, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, commercial and financial), bureaucracy and investor protection. . All categories are equal in importance.

This year, for the first time in ten years, we changed some of the criteria after talking with several production location strategists. So, for example, indicators stock market were not taken into account this year, and we also added criteria such as "labor", "infrastructure", "market size", "quality of life" and "political risk" to show in more detail how attractive a country is for investment. The assessment relied on published reports from Freedom House, the Heritage Foundation, Property Rights Alliance, the UN, anti-corruption organization Transparency International, the World Bank, Aon and Marsh & McLennan, and the World Economic Forum.

UK and EU prospects

After UK citizens narrowly voted to leave last year European Union, many predicted that Britain would face an economic collapse. Despite the fact that after the unexpected referendum results, the pound's exchange rate against the dollar plummeted by 9% and remains low, the British economy as a whole has coped quite well with the situation. In 2016, the UK's GDP grew by 1.8% and according to this indicator among the G7 countries it is slightly inferior only to Germany, whose GDP increased by 1.9% over the year. The UK economy continued to grow in 2017, with house prices rising and the unemployment rate falling to a 42-year high of 4.3%.

The UK's official exit from the European Union, scheduled for March 2019, causes uncertainty. Some British companies have decided to hold off on investment to see how leaving the European Union will affect trade relations. Despite forecasts for economic growth to slow in 2018, the UK business climate remains attractive. Great Britain for the first time in twelve years, it took first place in the annual ranking of the best countries for doing business according to Forbes.

The UK ranked in the top 25 countries (out of 153 represented) for almost every one of the fifteen main parameters assessed in the ranking. The exception was the “political risk” criterion, according to which the UK took twenty-eighth place. Last year, Britain took fifth place in the overall list.

Following the referendum on Britain's exit from the European Union, Wells Fargo and Apple took a number of significant measures in London. Banking company Wells Fargo has spent US$400 million to buy a new head office in London's main financial district. Apple announced plans to open a new headquarters in London in 2021, the area of ​​which will reach 46,500 square meters. Facebook is also planning to create a 65,000 square meter office in London, which could house nine thousand employees. Geoff Lessard, location strategy consultant at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “This election to London demonstrates the confidence of companies across a range of industries in the long-term stability of the UK economy.”

The UK was rated particularly highly for the technology dimension, in which the country ranked fourth, and in the size and level of education of the workforce, which ranked the UK in third place. The UK economy is one of the five strongest economies in the world with a GDP of $2.6 trillion. London is a global economic center in the financial services. The British capital is home to the headquarters of financial conglomerates such as HSBC Holdings, Prudential and Barclays. “The main advantage of the UK is that London is one of the three global centers in the financial services sector. After Brexit, only a few European cities will have the opportunity to challenge London, but each has its own shortcomings,” said Geoff Lessard.

Despite this, Britain is unlikely to remain at the top of the rankings for long. Companies are now revealing their plans for the future after the country leaves the European Union. According to the Bruegel Institute for the Study of International Economics (Belgium), as a result of Britain's exit from the European Union, the number of jobs in banking sector will be reduced by ten thousand positions. Financial conglomerates Citigroup Inc. and Morgan Stanley, as well as holding company Nomura Holdings and multinational corporation Standard Charter, are moving their EU headquarters to Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Other banks that want to secure access to the single market will move their offices to Paris and Dublin.

“The only controversial issue for Britain may be the need to allow highly educated specialists from around the world to freely participate in the development of the country's economy. After all, such talent is the key that opens the path to innovation, economic growth and competitiveness,” said Matthew De Luca, strategy consultant at Cushman & Wakefield.

New Zealand - growth points

Third year in a row New Zealand ranks second in the overall list. Population of the island state in the southwestern part Pacific Ocean has only 4.5 million people, but the country has a strong the economic growth. For example, New Zealand's GDP grew by 3.6% this year. Compared to countries in the Forbes top 20, only Ireland's economy grew faster.

Over the past four decades, New Zealand has transformed from an agricultural economy to an industrialized, free market economy. Kiwis, that is, New Zealanders, have privatized dozens of industries that were previously controlled by the government, such as airlines, insurance, Banking services and telecommunications. Based on criteria such as “lack of bureaucracy”, “low level of corruption” and “property rights”, the country ranks first in the overall list.

The top five countries also included Netherlands, Sweden And Canada.

American failure

Over the past ten years, the United States has gradually fallen lower and lower in our rankings, from first place in 2006 to twenty-third last year, which the United States took due to increasing levels of bureaucracy, as well as declining freedom in trade and financial freedom. But America, with a GDP of $18.6 trillion, came in eleventh place this year, thanks to its superior performance compared to other countries in technology, innovation and freedom of trade.

“The US has access to both European and Pacific Rim economies. The workforce is diverse and educated. American companies“The best in the world in terms of innovation and sustainable business development,” Lessard noted. - The new tax reform bill will only increase the attractiveness of doing business profitable business in USA".

Changes in evaluation criteria, such as the addition of parameters such as “labor force” (size and level of education) and “market size” (GNP), also benefited the United States. The country took leading positions in both categories.

"Behind last years Foreign direct investment in the United States has increased as international companies look to get closer to customers and want to better manage their supply chains. big market world,” said Jerry Satan, a business location strategy consultant based in Chicago.

Asia and Africa

In the ranking of the best countries for doing business, the countries from the second ( China) and third ( Japan) the strongest economies in the world are ranked sixty-sixth and twenty-first, respectively. China ranks so low because of its lack of trade freedom and monetary freedom. Japan has cut its corporate tax rate by 8% since 2012, but Japan's tax rate is still higher than most developed countries, according to the World Bank. Japan also ranked in the top 10 countries for innovation and infrastructure.

Six places in the last ten rankings are occupied by African countries. (Republic Haiti showed the worst result among non-African states). Innovation, trade freedom and investor protection are very low in most of these six countries. Chad For the third year in a row, it ranks last in the overall list. African Republic The landlocked country suffers from poor infrastructure and a lack of skilled labor, as well as high levels of bureaucracy and corruption.

Translation by Polina Shenoeva, Natalia Tanyuk

Best countries for business

№1 -United Kingdom

№2 -New Zealand

№3 -Netherlands

№4 -Sweden

№5 -Canada

№6 -Hong Kong

№7 -Denmark

№8 -Ireland

№9 -Singapore

№10 -Switzerland

№11 -Australia

№12 -United States

№13 -Germany

№14 -Finland

№15 -Norway

№16 -Taiwan

№17 -Belgium

№18 -Austria

№19 -South Korea

№20 -Spain

Worst countries for business

№144 -Venezuela

№145 -Zimbabwe

№146 -Burundi

№147 -Guinea

№148 -Yemen

№149 -Libya

№150 -Afghanistan

№151 -Haiti

№152 -Gambia

The success of a business largely depends not on the genius of the idea, the quality of services, or ingenuity, but also on the location of the company. Location plays a very important role, as there are countries where the economic climate, taxation and policies are most conducive to business. This list includes the 10 best countries for business and is based on Forbes rankings. The magazine ranked countries according to eleven factors: property rights, innovation, investor protection, personal freedom, trade and monetary freedom, bureaucracy, taxes, technology, corruption and stock market performance. Guinea, Myanmar, Chad, Angola and Zimbabwe are at the bottom of the ranking and considered the worst places to do business. Surprisingly, the United States ranks only 51st on the list because its statutory corporate tax rates are the highest among developed countries. Thus, if you want to open your own business, pay attention to one of these countries.

Business in the Netherlands

Starting a business in the Netherlands on average requires only four procedures, which take four days. Monetary stability in the Netherlands is very high and the market is open to global trade, making it an ideal location for business owners and those looking to invest capital. The country benefits from high levels of managerial efficiency while making business as easy as possible. Indeed, the business and management structure here is transparent and efficient. Another aspect that may appeal to potential companies is the low cost of labor compared to other European countries.

Business in Canada
Canada's transparent and stable business climate makes it one of the most attractive countries in the world for investment. The Canadian economy recovered relatively quickly from the global recession, thanks to openness to international trade and a variety of other stabilizing factors. Doing business in Canada is as simple as possible, and registration requires just one procedure and less than a week of time. Licensing requirements are quite reasonable and labor costs are moderate.

Business in Norway
Up one place from the previous year, Norway is now classified as the 8th best country for business. The country's economic competitiveness is so high due to its flexibility and openness. Norway is a world leader when it comes to economic freedoms such as free trade, property rights and freedom from corruption. This stable and robust regulatory environment highly encourages entrepreneurship and innovation in the country. Opening a business in Norway requires a certain amount of capital - but once these requirements are met, a business can be opened in just 5 procedures.

Business in Singapore
Opening a business in Singapore is relatively easy. It takes only three days and three procedures, and does not require any minimum capital. Singapore has zero tolerance for corruption - a strong assurance to companies that the rule of law will be upheld and respected through a dynamic economy. Singapore is extremely open to global investment, and encourages companies from abroad to open a business in the country. This has facilitated the emergence of a competitive financial sector and continues to guarantee healthy economic growth and development. There is no legal minimum wage, but regulators set it according to the National Wages Board. Despite the challenging external environment, inflation in Singapore is under control.

Business in Finland
Finland is ranked among the best countries in the world to do business when it comes to economic freedom, business freedom and freedom from corruption. This creates an enabling regulatory environment that encourages entrepreneurial investment and development. Business transactions are processed quickly and transparently, and corruption is completely absent, making Finland an ideal location for manufacturing. Starting a business costs approximately 1 percent of average annual income and requires going through three procedures. Although labor costs are quite high, severance packages are relatively cheap in Finland.

Business in Sweden
It only takes 3 procedures and 16 days to start a business in Sweden. Although licensing can be expensive and time-consuming, Sweden is still one of the most business-friendly countries in the world. The country ranks first when it comes to business conditions and third in innovation. Sweden's highly educated workforce and one of the world's highest GDP per capita also earn it a high place on this list. In addition, Sweden recently achieved its highest ever economic freedom score, according to the 2014 Index.

Business in Denmark
Denmark ranks high on this list due to its low risk of tax burden and corruption. Denmark's highly educated workforce and GDP per capita (among the highest in the world) provide additional incentives for productive investment in the country. Denmark is fully open to international trade and investment, which makes the country one of the most competitive and flexible economies in the world. Starting a business in Denmark requires only four procedures, and the minimum capital requirement has recently been reduced. In addition, the Danish labor market is efficient due to relatively flexible hiring and firing instructions, as well as a very stable monetary system.

Business in Hong Kong
Hong Kong ranks third in the ranking of the best countries for business. Although economic growth slowed in 2013 along with a decline in international trade, GDP continued to grow by 1.4% to $263 billion. According to Forbes, Hong Kong particularly stands out when it comes to investor protection, trade freedom, tax burden and lack of red tape. Hong Kong is open to international trade, with zero taxation and no barriers to foreign investment. Hong Kong's competitive regulatory regime supports innovation and innovation. Opening a business in Hong Kong is a straightforward process and there is no minimum capital required. The government even partially subsidizes small and medium-sized companies.

New Zealand Business
Topping the previous year, New Zealand still ranks very highly among the best countries for business. Although the country's $170 billion economy is the smallest of the 10 countries on the list, it is one of the fastest growing economies (GDP rose 2.5% last year). New Zealand received top scores in four of eleven categories, reflecting the country's business friendliness. What stands out most is personal freedom and investor protection, as well as the absence of bureaucracy and corruption. There are practically no restrictions for those who decide to open a business. Surprisingly, the start-up process in New Zealand can take as little as three days.

Business in Ireland
From 6th place the previous year, Ireland ranks first in the ranking of the best countries for business today. Despite the recession that Ireland has been subject to since 2008, and the $113 billion anti-crisis package needed from other European governments and the International currency board to get back on their feet, this is still the best country for business. Ireland has earned this place due to its low tax burden, investor protection and personal freedom. On top of this, the country's skilled workforce and 12.5% ​​corporate income tax are extremely conducive to the business environment. The English language of Ireland has also become a plus for companies from English-speaking countries. Google, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn have chosen Dublin as the ideal location for their European headquarters.

Have you come up with an idea for your business or has your business already started working and you want to grow further? Are the resources around you suboptimal - expensive rent, complexity of doing business, high employee salaries, difficult access to large amounts of electricity and underdeveloped IT infrastructure? Let's think about the future of your business together. Based on multiple criteria such as ease of registration and doing business, effective ways intellectual property protection, level of taxation and international trade, degree state support and business security, the level of accessibility of power grids and competitive IT infrastructure, I selected the 5 best countries and collected reviews from successful companies with businesses, representative offices or simply partners in these countries. Based on this data, a rating and recommendations have been compiled, which I will be happy to share with you.

5th place. South Korea

“+”

South Korea rarely comes to mind when the idea of ​​opening a business abroad arises. At the same time, the South Korean economy, according to various sources, is in 11-15 place in the world ranking and is one of the fastest growing.

It's worth going to South Korea if you need unlimited possibilities on access to power grids, and your business is focused on international clients. In South Korea, you can get high tax benefits if you register your business in one of the free economic zones, and you will also have the opportunity to develop large projects that require a large IT infrastructure, and you will also be able to easily connect to large power grids.

At the same time, registering your own business in South Korea, as well as running it, takes a lot of effort. Despite the fact that on average it takes 1 week to register your own business, you are unlikely to be able to do without the help of third-party assistants. You will have to conduct all conversations, fill out forms and come up with a company name only in Korean.

Since 2014, South Korea began issuing so-called startup visas. These are entry visas for foreign entrepreneurs starting an IT business. In order to obtain a Startup visa, you must have: a higher education with a bachelor's degree or higher, and also own at least a part of the share in any intellectual property.

South Korea is a rare symbiosis of stability and a rapidly growing economy. The downside of stability is strict rules and laws, incl. in the field of business. Sometimes you have to literally fight with your Korean partners when negotiating the terms of a treaty. Any comments from our side are perceived as disrespect. However, later I realized what was going on, and at first I began to recommend involving local Korean consultants in the negotiations, who told about the peculiarities of doing business in this country.

The best way make your business effective in South Korea - make acquaintances. Much is decided through personal connections. At the same time, the opportunities to make new acquaintances are greatly limited by poor penetration in English. If you have at least basic knowledge Korean language, this will be an undeniable advantage.

According to local customs, it is not recommended to approach and introduce yourself to a stranger, it’s better if a mutual friend introduces you. If you are lucky enough to be introduced, be sure to bow to your new Korean friend, thereby showing your respect and knowledge of etiquette. And when they give you a business card, make sure that you take it with both hands, or at worst with your right hand, and support your elbow with your left hand right hand, which contains a business card. Happened? Congratulations, you have made your first acquaintance and your chances of running a successful business in South Korea have increased significantly.

I recommend the jurisdiction of South Korea to the computer publisher online games, since infrastructure capabilities allow the deployment of IT structures of unlimited complexity, and proximity to the largest Asian online game manufacturers provides access to human resources and inexpensive labor combined with a high level of qualifications. At the same time, close proximity and knowledge of the mentality and business processes will help you more likely obtain licenses for localizing games in your country. South Korea has acceded to all the basic conventions for the protection of intellectual property, so we can easily guarantee the protection of intellectual property to our client throughout most of the world.

4th place. Hong Kong

“+”

As easy as it is to register a business in Hong Kong, it is just as difficult to run it. Partly due to differences in mentality, partly due to the highly competitive environment in the IT field. But still, this country is one of the leaders in terms of attractiveness for running an IT business, let's figure out why.

You can register a company in Hong Kong on the website www.investhk.gov.hk. To register, you will need to choose a name, type of company, and also pay 200 euros for an annual business certificate or 540 euros for a three-year certificate. You will also be required to contribute to the fund wages for those who have lost their ability to work in the amount of 25 or 75 euros, for an annual or three-year certificate, respectively. To register a company, you will also need 1000 euros to form the authorized capital of the company.

And you don't even have to live in Hong Kong. To operate your company, you can rent an office address with secretarial services for a small fee and this will be enough to have your own business.

Opening a business in Hong Kong gives you unlimited access to the most crowded market in the world - China. Hong Kong is the ideal place for an IT business if you consider China as your top priority for development.

You can easily access power grids and be able to receive the required amount of electricity, so your equipment will definitely not experience problems with a lack of electrical power.

Taxation in Hong Kong deserves special attention. If you intend to provide services in Hong Kong, you will be asked to pay income tax of 16.5% to the local treasury. Compared to world rates, this is not a bad result. But if you provide services anywhere in the world outside of Hong Kong, you will pay absolutely nothing; the income tax rate in this case is 0%.

“-”

Despite all the benefits of starting a business in Hong Kong, it is difficult to call this country the easiest to do business. In Hong Kong, you will not receive as much government support for business as in other countries in our ranking. However, the benefits that can be gained from registering a business in this country are likely to outweigh any other disadvantages.

I recommend Hong Kong jurisdiction for a company whose activities include the development and production of electronics in China. When producing electronic goods in China and, for example, supplying them to Europe or Russia, your income tax rate will be 0%. Opportunities for international registration of engineering patents will ensure the protection of patent rights to manufactured products throughout the world, so you will have all the necessary tools to protect against counterfeiting.

3rd place. Singapore

“+”

Singapore is rightfully in the middle of the ranking. It is not a leader by any specific criterion, but I would not classify it as a lagging country either. With the exception of one criterion, which is discussed below.

This is a country with fairly easy conditions for doing business. According to this indicator, Singapore is second only to one participant in the rating, which turned out to be the winner in the overall standings.

You can become the owner of your business within 1-2 days after submitting documents for registration, and in order to form authorized capital You only need an amount not exceeding 1 euro. For online registration The Singapore government recommends using one of two resources: www.bizfile.gov.sg or www.acra.gov.sg. And in order to find any legislative acts on activities in this country, it is not necessary to buy legal systems and contact local lawyers, you can use free online service search for necessary legislation on the website sso.agc.gov.sg

Singapore has about 50 international agreements for the avoidance of double taxation, and also makes significant efforts to improve legislation and instruments for the protection of intellectual property. Therefore, Singapore is waiting for companies involved in the development software, games and other intellectual property and is taking steps to attract such companies to its jurisdiction.

And also, the protection of minority shareholders of companies (owners of small shares) is implemented at a fairly high level, so you can invest in Singapore companies without much fear, purchasing even small shares or a small number of shares.

“-”

Despite high level state involvement in attracting the IT sector and protecting intellectual property, the IT infrastructure in this country has not caught up with the leaders of our rating, although it has potential for development and growth.

The presence of infrastructural features, as well as the features of business expansion to the international level, I would recommend Singapore for companies engaged in local business related to the IT sector and the production of intellectual property. For the development of international business, there are more attractive countries in our ranking.

2nd place. Denmark

“+”

Registering a business in Denmark, compared to other countries, will require more effort. Although, as before, there is nothing difficult about this, according to this indicator, Denmark turned out to be the most weak link.

At the same time, you can register a business in Denmark in 5 days. To do this, you can submit an online application on the website virk.dk (I hope you have already learned Danish?) or go to the tax office and fill out a form. No preparatory steps or collection of documents are required.

If you want to register as an individual entrepreneur you will need a residence permit. In the questionnaire you will be asked to indicate your full name, residence permit, type of planned activity, as well as details for communication and sending correspondence.

And if you are registering a partnership, or a limited liability company, as well as a joint stock company, you will be required to draw up a memorandum of association, articles of association and other corporate documents that the founders or shareholders may deem necessary. Be careful, when registering a business as a sole proprietor or partnership, you will bear personal, unlimited liability for the results of the business.

Once you register your business, running it will be friendlier than registration. The system is designed in such a way that government bodies guide you in the right direction without having to study all the intricacies of domestic legislation. Do you have a small business? You don’t have to hire an accountant, just save the receipts and at the end of the year go to the office of the auditing firm so that it marks the audit - the statements are ready. The state will independently send you all the necessary invoices for payment by mail, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to pay some fee. Denmark is the undisputed leader in government support for doing business.

If your main goal of doing business is to conduct international business - and here Denmark is ahead of the rest. This is facilitated by legislation, territorial affiliation and the relative openness of borders. Within the European Union alone, business will have access to, although not the largest, one of the most solvent markets, with a capacity of at least 100 million people.

“-”

Listing all the positive aspects of doing business, one cannot fail to mention one very important detail. If you or your company plans to be a non-sole owner of the business, you should be very careful when owning small shares of the business. In terms of protecting the interests of minority shareholders (owners of small shares in a business), Denmark lags at the very bottom of our ranking.

Taxation is also not a dream for businessmen and ordinary residents with a personal income tax rate of 55.6%, corporate income tax - 22%, capital gains tax 24.5%, and you may also be required to pay a stamp duty of 0.6-1.5%.

I recommend Denmark to companies that require a developed IT infrastructure, international trade opportunities, as well as companies seeking highest level government support and low lending rates. Denmark is a party to most international conventions for the protection of intellectual property, so any developments will be protected from the moment of their creation, and in some cases from the moment of registration.

1st place. New Zealand

“+”

With a significant lead in the ranking, New Zealand took the lead in almost all indicators.

Registering your own IT business in New Zealand is easier than in any other country.

Registration is carried out online at the New Zealand companies office website - www.business.govt.nz/companies. A few days later, you will receive a paper notification in the mail that you need to sign and return. This will complete the business registration.

You don’t even have to open a separate bank account for conducting mutual settlements with counterparties and for paying salaries to employees, if such are planned. Instead, all transactions can be carried out through your personal bank account.

If your business does not require the installation of large server racks and separate space for infrastructure, you can get by with renting small office space with desks, Internet, a kitchen and a break room for the first time. If you do not plan to recruit staff, you can limit yourself to running a business without leaving your home. Unlimited Internet will cost 40-55 euros per month.

Obtaining a visa in the case of an IT business is much easier. So, if in a normal case, obtaining an Entrepreneur Work visa requires an investment of around 65 thousand euros (100 thousand New Zealand dollars), then in the case of running an IT business such requirements are not established, thereby stimulating the growth of the IT sector.

In terms of the level of attractiveness of the taxation system, I also give the palm to New Zealand. Let's take a look at New Zealand's general tax system:

Income tax - 28%
Personal income tax - 33%
And even some GST of 15%!

Well, it doesn’t look like a tax haven, you say. And you will be absolutely right. But only if you don’t pay attention to one feature. We are talking about business abroad, assuming that we are Russians, Belarusians, Kazakhs, etc. Thus, being a non-resident founder or partner of a New Zealand company, we will not pay income tax on income received outside New Zealand. Zealand. We are talking about Limited Partnership and Look-through company. Thus, when conducting business in New Zealand using the Internet and providing services to recipients outside New Zealand, you can count on a 0% income tax rate.

However, due to this tax feature, New Zealand is not very supportive of the desire of IT companies to sell their services abroad. In this connection, according to the “international trade” indicator, New Zealand is an outsider among competing countries. In this regard, I recommend that you first decide whether you will and will be able to provide services to companies located abroad or whether you will conduct only local business. In the latter case, tax benefits lose their advantage.

“-”

Despite the country’s openness to IT business, the country’s digital infrastructure is not a leader among competitors and is in penultimate place among the countries participating in the rating.

At the same time, despite the leading position in the overall ranking, I put New Zealand as a leader in the SME sector. If you're a large company with an infrastructure that requires gigawatts of power flowing, New Zealand won't be the best country for access to the grid. Although, how could this be a problem for a large company?

I recommend New Zealand jurisdiction to all companies engaged in IT business, for which the availability of an unlimited amount of electricity is not critical, and tax savings are a priority. I counted 95 laws, regulations, conventions and agreements to protect intellectual property, most of of which is international, so you can be calm about the protection and protection of the created intellectual property objects in this country.

Evgeny Morozov,
expert on intellectual property protection.

The American publication Forbes has published its latest ranking of countries that are the best and, conversely, the most inconvenient for doing business. The 2017 ranking included 139 countries; the authors compared them according to various criteria:

• level of corruption;
• tax climate;
• technology development;
• security of investments and property rights;
• freedom of trade;
• introduction of innovations;
• monetary policy;
• bureaucratic barriers to business;
• personal freedoms of citizens;
• state of the stock market.

1. Sweden

This year, Sweden topped this Forbes rating. Over the past year, it was able to immediately rise to 4 positions, ahead of last year's triumphant Denmark. And the very first similar rating from Forbes appeared in 2006, in which Sweden was in 17th place. As can be seen, over the next decade the kingdom's economic fortunes have strengthened markedly thanks to measures such as cutting government subsidies for public welfare and loosening the levers that control business. The country has reduced disability and unemployment benefits in order to force the population to work. This immediately led to an increase in employment.
Sweden, unlike many EU countries, has a small public debt, and over the past year its economy has grown by 4.2%. The trade balance showed a surplus of 5.2% relative to GDP. In 7 of the 11 categories taken into account when compiling this ranking, Sweden was in the top ten.
The Swedish brands Volvo, Ericsson, Electrolux, IKEA and H&M are well known in the world. The country has also become a popular platform for testing new technologies (SoundCloud, Spotify, Skype). There are companies in Sweden that own the development of popular modern games: King Digital Entertainment was founded here in 2003, which in 2012 released the mobile toy Candy Crush Saga, which reached 500 million downloads, and in 2009, Mojang appeared, the brainchild of which was Minecraft.
For businessmen, this country, rich even by European standards, opens up wonderful prospects. The main thing for them is that their freedoms and rights are strictly respected here. You can open a business in Sweden in just a couple of hours - about the same amount of time it takes to register a company. To open a business here, you don’t need to run between different institutions, and everything can be quickly completed via the Internet. Business is also well supported by the openness and transparency of the state control system. Any Swedish businessman has the right to receive detailed analytical or statistical information regarding any sector of the Swedish economy. Such information, upon request, is simply sent by email.

2. New Zealand

In recent years, New Zealand has been firmly associated with the image of a country where the most safe conditions. Here, corruption is practically unknown in the public sector; the level of bureaucracy here is one of the lowest in the world. In addition, New Zealand has reliable banks and excellent investor protection. Relative proximity to Southeast Asian financial centers and its own stable economy also speak in favor of this country. There are other advantages:

• Thanks to its loyal social and immigration policy, many foreign entrepreneurs willingly move to New Zealand for permanent residence. Moreover, for their relatives they can obtain visas of similar duration as for themselves.
• No exchange controls or capital gains tax.

The compilers of the rating claim that paying tax in New Zealand is as easy as buying a newspaper. It’s easy to start a new business, since according to a number of indicators this country is opposite side The globe comes first. But even in such a cloudless sky, clouds are visible here and there. Thus, in terms of the convenience of organizing international trade, remote from the whole world except Australia, the islands remained in a lowly 55th place. The most promising areas for business here are:

• financial sector;
• production of meat and dairy products;
• FMCG market;
• free of censorship and media control.

3. Hong Kong

Businessmen are attracted to Hong Kong by low corporate income rates and free market policies. There is also no tax on dividends or capital gains. Gradually returning to China, Hong Kong is increasingly establishing economic relations with it. Hong Kong has many tax incentives, but this does not make it an offshore. For this reason, the tax authorities foreign countries easily allow funds transfers to Hong Kong. Most of his indicators are in the top ten.
It’s easy to start a business here, get approval for construction, improve communications, and pay taxes - according to these indicators, Hong Kong is in the top five countries. The most difficult thing here is to register real estate - the local unfriendly system has slipped to 61st place.

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4. Ireland

In recent years, Ireland has become a regular in ratings of countries convenient for doing business, and in 2013, Forbes even put it in first place. For businessmen, this country is attractive due to its relatively low salary level, a large number qualified young workers, as well as a flexible taxation system. Thus, corporate tax here is significantly lower than the European average. This country has signed an agreement regarding the avoidance of double taxation with seven dozen countries. It is the best Western European country in terms of investment efficiency.

5. UK

In the United Kingdom there is generally no difference between domestic and foreign entrepreneurs working in the private business sector. The tax system here is very simple and transparent. For example, companies with a turnover of more than £1.5 million must pay 28%, while smaller ones with a turnover of up to £300,000 must pay just 20%. In Foggy Albion it is very convenient to use adjacent jurisdictions if it is necessary to conclude a contract or organize an activity.

6. Denmark

According to experts, the most profitable form of entrepreneurship in Denmark is a holding. It is convenient to do business in this country, since there is no tax on dividends that local companies receive abroad, provided that the local company owned at least 10% of the shares subsidiary company. Denmark always ranks high in transparency ratings; people here hardly know what corruption is. The quality of the workforce here is also high - almost all young Danes can boast two higher education. Half of the Danes speak German, and 80% of the country's residents speak English.
True, it is not so easy to get a loan in Denmark; here the country only reached 32nd place. Sometimes they joke that the descendants of the Vikings are not ready to part with their loot even at interest. But other indicators are in the first or second ten. Denmark particularly welcomes investment in specific sectors:

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• pharmaceuticals;
• biotechnology;
• optics;
• biochemical production;
• genetic engineering;
• "clean technologies";
• wireless communications and other modern industries.

7. Netherlands

The tax regime for entrepreneurs in Holland is established in advance, so any enterprise starting to operate in the Dutch market knows well what type and amount of taxes it will have to pay here. To register your business here, you will need 1800 euros and no more than 4 days. A company may seek tax exemption, which, if successful, will prevent it from paying taxes on dividends and holdings profits. Holland is considered one of the best countries in Europe where high-tech industries can be developed.

8. Finland

A citizen of any country can start a business in Finland, which is supported by the support of business people from the state. Particular care is taken for representatives of small businesses, for whom assistance is provided at all levels - from national to local. There are also very attractive (on average 3%) loan rates for businessmen.

9. Norway

In 2015, the World Bank ranked Norway 6th in terms of ease of doing business among 189 countries. Financial freedom here, however, is very limited, but starting a business in Norway is still promising. The registration procedure is simple and clear, and any adult citizen of Norway can do this. Here it is not difficult to extend communications to the enterprise, register real estate, and the protection of minority investors is especially important. It will be more difficult for businessmen who wish to obtain a loan in Norway, but the dynamics of the country's development convinces that this difficulty will soon be corrected.

10. Canada

All types of entrepreneurship in Canada are supported, including the activities of foreign companies. There are very low income taxes and income tax. To open your own business in Canada, you will have to spend much less than your southern neighbor. In addition, it gives additional optimism that there is an extremely low level of crime and bureaucracy here. It is not only easy to register a business in Canada, but also to operate it; the rights of investors are reliably protected here.