Portugal is the top-ranked Portuguese-speaking Country in the latest Doing Business survey by the World Bank.
The report, released this week, places Portugal 25 out of 190 countries and regions, a drop of two places from last year.
“Business reforms resulted in a reduction of the time and cost needed for company formalisation, increasing the number of business start-ups by 17 percent and creating 7 new jobs per 100,000 inhabitants per month,” the World Bank said.
The Doing Business study focuses on regulation that affects small and medium-sized enterprises in 10 areas, including starting a business, registering property, obtaining credit, protecting minority investors, cross-border trade and resolving insolvency.
Brazil fell to 123 in this survey, from 116 last year. It recorded its highest score in enforcing contracts but the worst for paying taxes.
Cape Verde holds 129th place and Mozambique is 137th. Cape Verde was strongest in enforcing contracts but the worst in resolving insolvency. Mozambique was considered strong in dealing with construction permits but poor in enforcing contracts.
East Timor, 175, and Angola, 182, are among the lowest-ranked of the Portuguese-speaking Countries. The report did not include Guinea-Bissau.
The mainland rose six places to 78th. The report says enforcing contracts was its strongest characteristic but weak in handling construction permits.
