English

Preliminary Results of the FIAS Census on IPAs (May 2002)

Presentation by A. Miroux and K. Andrews Johnson

Do "One Stop Shops" Work? (March 2002)

The attractiveness of a country to foreign investors and the feasibility of individual investment projects is closely linked to a country’s policy environment. However, this dependence does not only refer to the overarching legal framework or the general policy prescriptions. Equally, if not more important is the practical administrative implementation of these policies.

Croatia - Administrative Barriers to Foreign Investment (2002)

This report looks in detail at the procedures an investor would have to do in order to establish and operate a business legally in Croatia today. The investigation breaks the investment process into four generic areas: entry procedures (immigration procedures, work permits, and related procedures); business establishment (company registration and various licensing procedures); locating procedures (land acquisition, land registration and construction); and operating procedures (paying taxes, customs procedures, labor regulations and government inspections).

Foreign Direct Investment Survey (January 2002)

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a telling indicator of global economic health and stability. In 2000, global FDI inflows increased by 18 percent over 1999 levels to $1.3 trillion. The current economic downturn, however, is reversing this trend. For the first time in over a decade, FDI flows are contracting. The World Investment Report 2001 predicts that FDI outflows will fall 40 percent in 2001, below the 1999 level to around $760 billion. In order to better understand the factors influencing FDI flows, a study was conducted in the summer of 2001. A survey questionnaire was distributed by mail to a sectoral cross-section of the world’s largest transnational businesses. At that time, 191 companies of these divulged their near-term investment plans. It is on the responses of this group of companies that this report is based.

Administrative barriers to investment within subjects of the Russian Federation - Appendix (September 2001)

This study of administrative barriers to investment focuses on the day-to-day experiences of businesses. The study analyzes all the procedures that an average investor (foreign or domestic) must follow in order to start a new investment, as well as routine interactions between businesses and government agencies during normal business operations. The report documents the steps that must be followed, how long they take, and how much they cost. These procedures are compared across the five regions participating in the study, and also across other transition and emerging market economies.

Administrative barriers to investment within subjects of the Russian Federation - Chapter 1(September 2001)

This study of administrative barriers to investment focuses on the day-to-day experiences of businesses. The study analyzes all the procedures that an average investor (foreign or domestic) must follow in order to start a new investment, as well as routine interactions between businesses and government agencies during normal business operations. The report documents the steps that must be followed, how long they take, and how much they cost. These procedures are compared across the five regions participating in the study, and also across other transition and emerging market economies.

Administrative barriers to investment within subjects of the Russian Federation - Chapter 2 (September 2001)

This study of administrative barriers to investment focuses on the day-to-day experiences of businesses. The study analyzes all the procedures that an average investor (foreign or domestic) must follow in order to start a new investment, as well as routine interactions between businesses and government agencies during normal business operations. The report documents the steps that must be followed, how long they take, and how much they cost. These procedures are compared across the five regions participating in the study, and also across other transition and emerging market economies.

Administrative barriers to investment within subjects of the Russian Federation - Chapter 3 (September 2001)

This study of administrative barriers to investment focuses on the day-to-day experiences of businesses. The study analyzes all the procedures that an average investor (foreign or domestic) must follow in order to start a new investment, as well as routine interactions between businesses and government agencies during normal business operations. The report documents the steps that must be followed, how long they take, and how much they cost. These procedures are compared across the five regions participating in the study, and also across other transition and emerging market economies.

Administrative barriers to investment within subjects of the Russian Federation - Chapter 4 (September 2001)

This study of administrative barriers to investment focuses on the day-to-day experiences of businesses. The study analyzes all the procedures that an average investor (foreign or domestic) must follow in order to start a new investment, as well as routine interactions between businesses and government agencies during normal business operations. The report documents the steps that must be followed, how long they take, and how much they cost. These procedures are compared across the five regions participating in the study, and also across other transition and emerging market economies.

Honduras - The Climate for Foreign Direct Investment and how it can be improved - English Version (2002)

The purpose of this report is to identify the weak areas in the country's general investment climate which, with improvement, can help the government and private sector attract more, and more varied kinds of foreign direct investment.

Using Tax Incentives to Compete for Foreign Investment: Are They Worth the Costs? (September 2001)

The book contains complementary essays on the use of tax incentives, to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). The first essay presents results of the authors' original research, and explores FDI, and issues of tax incentives, in the context of Indonesia. Their results mostly support the arguments made against incentives, particularly they find little evidence that when Indonesia eliminated tax incentives, there was any decline in the rate of FDI into the country. Similarly, the second essay surveys the research of others on the same topic, and pertaining to the same issues discussed in the first essay. They show that results of other researchers, are generally consistent with the findings of the research in Indonesia, notably that tax incentives, neither affect significantly the amount of direct investment that takes place, nor usually determine the location to which investment is drawn. Nevertheless, recent evidence has shown that when factors such as political, and economic stability, infrastructure, and transport costs are more, or less equal between potential locations, taxes may exert a significant impact. This is evidenced by the growing tax competition in regional groupings (i.e., the European Union) or, at the sub-regional level within one country (i.e., the United States). Both essays provide a basis for much more sophisticated analysis by policymakers than previously, and, both are important because they question governments' institutional arrangements that create agency problems with respect to tax incentive policies.

Foreign Direct Investment and Poverty Reduction (June 2001)

In the 1990s, foreign direct investment began to swamp and Poverty Reduction all other cross-border capital flows into developing countries. Does foreign direct investment support sound development? In particular does it contribute to poverty reduction?