eRegulations.

org A turn-key tool for business facilitation

Improving the Business Climate in Swaziland
EZulwini, 29-31 May 2012 julien.bornon@unctad.org

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

What does eRegulations.org do?

Promoting transparency :
Providing accurate and useful information to customers

Mapping challenges :
Identifying bottlenecks and administrative obstacles

Monitoring progress :
Capture a picture of where you stand in the reforms

Tracking results :
Being sure that youre doing the rights things

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

What is eRegulations.org ?
A business facilitation tool dealing with administrative procedures (clarifying, simplifying, publicizing) A network of committed countries: Rwanda, Ethiopia, Comoros / Cabo Verde / Tanzania and more! Trade, business, investment are more effective if there are (fair) rules and if these rules are well-known An online service (eGov): clarity, cost effectiveness, universal access, interactions

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Clarifying procedures
The Doing Business Crisis Call: what can UNCTAD can do for us? How can you help us? The confusing workshop: Tell us the story of business registration (one people, one story) Lets make business procedures as clear as possible for ministers, administrations AND INVESTORS! eRegulations.org presents online business procedures in a clear, accurate and customer-centric manner.

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Simplifying procedures
5 indicators assessing the ease of business procedures: ! Steps: interactions bw customer and one administration ! Entities: Administrations I have to meet ! Documents: Documents and forms I have to provide ! Costs: The price I have to pay ! Duration: The time it takes me = our key targets to make a procedure simple (DB)

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Simplifying procedures (ced)

4 guiding principles : ! Complying in a more favorable way with business laws (suppression of useless requisites). Ex: ID ! Regrouping functional steps (saving time and energy for investors). Ex: Payment, One Stop Shop ! Reducing information asked by administrations (too much paper). Ex: single form, computerizing ! Reducing costs (incentives, regional competition). Ex: cost analysis, regional benchmarking

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Publicizing procedures
It is online: transparent and easy access, enhancing visibility (referencing, Google Ads, weblinks, stats) Traditional and creative tools: eRegulations app., investors guides, leaflets and flyers, cartoons, plays Media coverage: articles, interviews or advertisement on television, radio or in newspapers Briefing sessions, training workshops for private an public sectors (customer service approach)

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Online communication

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Communication tools

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Media coverage

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Information briefings

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Publicizing procedures (ced)

Sharing at regional and international levels : good practices, monitoring progress, integration (COMESA) Accessing to international and multilateral forums: COMESA workshops, UNCTAD conferences, etc Assisting in technical dialogue with specialized institutions assessing business environment (DB) Developing innovative tools for fostering continental dialogue, cooperation and benchmarking (UEMOA)

Improving the business climate in Zimbabwe

Conclusions
What is eRegulations A tool for clarifying, simplifying and publicizing business procedures > a business facilitation tool and a vehicle for reforms. What is not eRegulations A costly IT project with tons of hardware and computers with a strong need for nerd engineers that you dont understand. A secret recipe for DB reforms? Not one single secret recipe, but some ingredients that can be used. eRegulations: an innovative tool for a good cuisine.