Easy to Start a Business in New Zealand

September 25, 2008


The high protection ranking helped New Zealand maintain its position as the second-easiest place in the world to do business for the third year in a row, behind Singapore. In its report, the World Bank commended New Zealand for its extensive disclosure rules which require immediate disclosure of a related-party transaction and of the conflict of interest. New Zealand also topped the ranks for the ease of starting a business, and was ranked second in dealing with construction permits and third for registering property. The study, now in its sixth year, uses information provided by local experts such as lawyers, accountants and government officials to help to rank 181 countries. The ranks are based on 10 indicators of business regulation that record time and cost of meeting government requirements in starting and operating a business, trading across economies, paying taxes and closing a business. Easiest countries to do business in, according to the World Bank: 1. Singapore, 2. New Zealand, 3. United States, 4. Hong Kong, China 5. Denmark, 6. United Kingdom, 7. Ireland, 8. Canada, 9. Australia, 10. Norway.