OVERVIEW 1 Doing Business in Colombia 2017 Overview Comparing Business Regulation for Domestic Firms in 32 Colombian Cities with 189 Other Economies 2 DOING BUSINESS IN COLOMBIA 2017 © 2017 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved 1 2 3 4 19 18 17 16 This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. 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Overview Doing Business in Colombia 2017 presents for the first time a comparative analysis of the regulatory environment for doing business across the country in four areas of business regulation: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, registering property and paying taxes. Based on the overall ranking of the four areas measured, it is easiest to do business in Manizales, Pereira and Bogotá. Manizales and Pereira continue to hold the top spots; Bogotá has been improving gradually since 2010 and holds the third position. There is a sizeable gap between the best- and worst- performing cities. Generally, the smaller the city, the more procedures are required; this is partly because some regulatory improvements have yet to reach all cities. Between 2013 and 2016, all the cities except for Ibagué and Santa Marta moved closer toward the frontier of best global practices. The cities that improved the most were Valledupar, Cúcuta, Leticia and Pereira. Of these, Valledupar made the most progress, by introducing reforms in three of the four areas. There is still room to improve business regulation and simplify procedures for entrepreneurs. Promoting comparable performance between cities, improving coordination between agencies and moving forward on the initiatives that are under implementation are some of the ways to do that. 4 DOING BUSINESS IN COLOMBIA 2017 etween 2010 and 2013, income from oil production in Colombia fueled National entrepreneurs face different realities Beconomic growth, increased rev- depending on where they are located. enues for the country’s territorial entities and brought about social improvements. and modernizing the cadastre, under a they are located. Doing Business in In fact, from 2010 to 2016, more than 5 multipurpose model to be implemented Colombia 2017—the fourth in the series of million people emerged from poverty.1 over the long term.8 This initiative stands subnational Doing Business studies in the With the fall in oil prices since mid-2014, to produce several benefits: It will enable country—is presenting for the first time the fiscal and monetary measures adopted local revenues to increase due to higher a comparative assessment of the regula- by the national government contained the property tax collections; give legal cer- tory environment for business in the 32 negative effect on its terms of trade2 and tainty regarding land rights and tenure; departmental capitals in four areas: start- economic growth remained above the and provide tools for planning urban and ing a business, dealing with construction regional average.3 Nevertheless, the small rural land use. permits, registering property and paying effect of the Colombian peso devaluation taxes. on the country’s exports showed that This fourth edition of Doing Business in it still has a long way to go to diversify Colombia—the first that covers the ease of This edition reflects the changes made to the economy and increase productivity. doing business throughout the country— the methodology for three of the four indi- According to government figures, for 12 comes in the context of a national policy cators analyzed since the last study was years during the 1991-2015 period there to “close the gap”9 between regions, and done (2012). In the areas of dealing with was either no growth or negative growth at a time of expectations regarding the construction permits, registering property in productivity.4 In terms of labor pro- social and economic benefits10 to be and paying taxes, new qualitative aspects ductivity, the last report on national derived from the implementation of the have now been added to complement competitiveness notes that for every peace agreement signed in 2016 with the those related to efficiency. The reasoning worker in the United States, 4.3 workers Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is that it is not enough to improve the are needed in Colombia to produce the (FARC-EP).11 Promoting a business efficiency of procedures if the institutions same value added.5 The government’s climate that encourages entrepreneur- function poorly and provide a low quality 10-year policy for productive development ship, business growth and job creation of service. In terms of dealing with con- (2016-25) includes among its objectives in Colombian cities will also be critical to struction permits, this study now consid- identifying the sectors and products with achieve regional convergence and reduce ers, among other things, the professional growth potential to diversify the economy. the high levels of inequality that persist in qualifications of those in charge of exam- The policy also incorporates a territorial the country.12 ining projects and approving construction perspective, as it takes into account the licenses, inspections of projects, and the economic differences between regions liability and insurance regimes that apply and establishes mechanisms—such as the WHAT DOES DOING to construction activity. The registering strengthening of regional competitiveness BUSINESS IN COLOMBIA property indicator evaluates access to commissions—to implement local com- 2017 MEASURE? registry information, the operation and petitiveness agendas and capitalize on the coverage of the registries and mapping comparative advantages of each area.6 Doing Business in Colombia 2017 analyzes system (cadastre), and dispute resolution commercial regulations from the per- mechanisms related to property rights. Improving the country’s competitiveness spective of small and medium-size local Finally, the paying taxes indicator reflects and promoting the development of the businesses. Bogotá represents Colombia procedures subsequent to the filing and regions are also strategies of the National in the annual report that compares 190 payment of taxes, such as tax refunds and Development Plan for the last four-year economies around the world. National audits. term (2014-18) of this administration, to codes, laws and decrees regulate maintain peace and reduce inequality. A institutions, set fees and establish time The method used to calculate the overall new tax reform7 took effect in January frames and requirements for completing ranking and the ranking by indicator has 2017; it seeks to strengthen public transactions. However,