Abstract

SARMENTO, Elsa De Morais  and  REIS, Joaquim da Silva. The business environment in Portugal: a compared analysis of bureaucratic procedures, costs and delay. Economia Global e Gestão [online]. 2012, vol.17, n.2, pp.33-59. ISSN 0873-7444.

The development of better regulation policies in Portugal has been integrated in the State’s reform and modernization effort, geared towards the accomplishment of the compromises portrayed in the Lisbon Agenda. Based on the World Bank’s «Doing Business 2011» report, we appraise the Portuguese performance comparatively to a selection of relevant countries, in three key dimensions of the regulatory environment: bureaucratic procedures, costs and delay, considered determinants to the doing business environment and citizen’s quality of life. This comparative analysis shows that despite the notable improvement of the last few years, there is still progress to be made, concerning not only improving regulation in itself, but also the functioning of the Public Administration and the State, calling for a more efficient and prompt resolution of administrative and judicial processes. It is particularly urgent to curb the excessive procedural delay in international transactions of goods, licensing, tax payments, judicial resolution of commercial disputes and firm bankruptcy.

Keywords : Regulation; Bureaucracy; Reform; Doing Business; Portugal.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )