EUREKA NEWS

World Bank report shows quality of SME climate in EUREKA countries

The World Bank recently published its yearly report "Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises" an overview of regulations affecting domestic firms in 185 economies and ranking the economies in 10 areas of business regulation, such as starting a business, resolving insolvency and trading across borders. 

Out of 42 EUREKA member countries and associated countries, 25 made it to the top 50. Four of them being even within the world's top ten best business places: Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom and EUREKA associated country South Korea. Another member country within the EUREKA network, Poland, was the global top improver in the past year. It enhanced the ease of doing business through four institutional or regulatory reforms, making it easier to register property, pay taxes, enforce contracts, and resolve insolvency.

'OUT OF 42 EUREKA MEMBER COUNTRIES AND ASSOCIATED COUNTRIES, 25 MADE IT TO THE TOP 50.' 

The World Bank's publication is a key document for investors looking for opportunities outside the borders of their own country but also for companies looking for business partners at an international level, as it is the case in research projects funded through EUREKA and Eurostars. The report is also an ideal complement to 'SMEs in International Cooperation', a guidebook soon to be published EURKEA, which accompanies SMEs in their participation in a EUREKA or Eurostars project. The report presents funding opportunities in different countries and directs small businesses through the funding application process, while also identifying key areas of concern that can arise during any research and development cooperation.