Standards and Regulation in Vanuatu

Vanuatu is ranked number 76 out of 183 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index (2011). This moderate ranking reflects the relatively low tax rates, relative ease in the issuance of construction permits and in resolving insolvency but the difficulty of starting a business, registering property and high costs of import and export. The principal economic regulators in Vanuatu include the Financial Services Commission, the Telecommunication and Radiocommunication Regulator (TRR), Utilities Regulatory Authority (URA), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Ports Authority and the Accreditation and Standards section of the National Tourism Development Office.