The Global Enabling Trade Report 2008, published for the first time by the World Economic Forum, WEF
Finland ranks seventh in the index that measures openness and ease of trade
The World Economic Forum, WEF, published its first Global Enabling Trade Report 2008 on 18 June. The report provides a survey and analysis of elements that facilitate the flow of goods over borders to their final destination. The report seeks to highlight factors that promote or prevent trade, with a view to raising awareness of the significance of trade to development and offering decision-makers an instrument to find ways to remove barriers to trade.
The report has been prepared in cooperation between several international organisations and companies specialising in logistics, and it covers 118 economies listed in an order of superiority. The Enabling Trade Index is the first of its kind, and the best ten economies are:
1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore
3. Sweden
4. Norway
5. Canada
6. Denmark
7. Finland
8. Germany
9. Switzerland
10. New Zealand
The index breaks the enablers into four overall issue areas:
(1) market access, in which Finland comes 19th (customs, non-tariff barriers to trade, participation in international trade-related agreements)
(2) border administration including corruption, where Finland is fourth
(3) transport and communications infrastructure, in which Finland ranks 18th (access to and standard of infrastructure and services, use of ICT) and
(4) business environment, in which Finland ranks first (regulation and security).