2024-11-17-世界银行-2024年欧盟次国家级企业准备就绪_斯洛伐克共和国（英）_152页_16mb

Summary of Subnational Business Ready in the European Union 2024: Slovak Republic

Core Content

The Subnational Business Ready (B-READY) report for the Slovak Republic is part of a broader World Bank initiative in collaboration with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO). The study assesses the business climate across five Slovak cities: Bratislava, Košice, Prešov, Trnava, and Žilina, focusing on key areas that influence the ease of doing business—Business Entry, Business Location, Utility Services, Dispute Resolution, and Business Insolvency. The report aims to identify regional disparities, promote policy reforms, and support sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Main Objectives

• Identify regional disparities in regulatory environments.
• Promote reforms that foster private sector growth, job creation, and sustainability.
• Provide actionable insights for policy makers to improve administrative processes and regulatory frameworks.
• Enhance transparency and efficiency in business-related procedures across localities.

Key Findings

• No city excels in all areas: Each of the five cities has strengths and weaknesses.
  • Bratislava performs best in Business Location and Utility Services, but lags in Dispute Resolution and Business Insolvency.
  • Trnava leads in Business Entry and Business Insolvency, but has lower scores in the other areas.
  • Košice and Prešov are top performers in Dispute Resolution and Business Insolvency, respectively, but have lower scores in Utility Services.
  • Žilina shows the most consistent performance across all areas, with no lowest or second lowest topic score.
• Average scores across the five cities:
  • Business Entry: 88.0/100
  • Dispute Resolution: 82.4/100
  • Utility Services: 77.4/100
  • Business Location: 73.5/100
  • Business Insolvency: 72.6/100
• Performance gaps are smaller in Business Entry and larger in Business Insolvency, indicating that consistent regulation across locations leads to better performance.
• Regulatory framework is generally strong (Pillar I), but delivery of public services (Pillar II) and operational efficiency (Pillar III) are areas requiring improvement, especially in Business Location and Utility Services.

Areas for Improvement

Business Entry

• VAT registration is the largest time component for business entry. It could be streamlined by allowing VAT registration to occur simultaneously with income tax registration.
• Eliminate start-up capital requirements for limited liability companies.
• Remove trade license obligations for most businesses, as only a few EU countries require them.
• Simplify procedures by expediting decisions and conducting checks post-registration.

Business Location

• Building Permitting:
  • Streamline preconstruction approvals.
  • Integrate electronic platforms into the permitting process.
  • Reduce the time needed to obtain building permits by improving coordination between municipal and district offices.
• Environmental Permitting:
  • Adopt a risk-based approach similar to Belgium and Denmark.
  • Introduce digital tools for environmental approvals.
  • Allow online dispute filing and auto-generated checklists.
• Property Transfer:
  • Fully digitalize back-office operations at the Land Registry.
  • Make the Cadaster's database interoperable with other agencies.
  • Enforce identity verification for both parties in property transactions.
  • Improve dispute resolution by allowing settlements without court involvement.
  • Increase transparency by publishing relevant information online.

Utility Services

• Electricity:
  • Publish processing times and statistics on electricity connections to improve transparency.
  • Minimize power outages, especially in areas like Žilina.
  • Invest in smart meters and grids to enhance network efficiency.
  • Ensure interoperability of digital platforms and utility databases.
• Water:
  • Introduce incentives for water-saving practices.
  • Implement financial penalties or non-financial incentives for non-compliance.
  • Speed up excavation permits through multistakeholder meetings.
  • Enable online applications for water connections in all cities.
  • Develop tracking platforms for water connection requests.

Dispute Resolution

• Improve case management by establishing clear procedural timelines.
• Enforce strict deadlines for serving defendants, filing defense statements, and issuing expert opinions.
• Promote alternative dispute resolution to reduce the burden on courts and increase efficiency.

Business Insolvency

• Reduce mandatory satisfaction rates for unsecured creditors to encourage reorganization over liquidation.
• Improve "duty to file" regulations to ensure timely initiation of bankruptcy proceedings.
• Introduce stricter penalties and additional enforcement measures to enhance the efficiency and fairness of the process.

Key Stakeholders

• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of the Interior
• Financial Administration
• Commercial Registry
• Ministry of Environment
• Ministry of Transport
• Municipalities
• Land Registry
• Cadaster
• Regulatory Office for Network Industries (URSO)
• Local utilities and tribunals

Conclusion

The Subnational B-READY study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the business environment in the Slovak Republic, highlighting both achievements and opportunities for reform. The report emphasizes the need for greater operational efficiency, digital transformation, and consistent regulation across regions to enhance the business climate and support sustainable economic growth. By addressing these areas, the Slovak Republic can improve its regulatory framework, public service delivery, and private sector resilience.