Methodological notes

Details

Structural reform

Sectoral transition indicators

(See Table S.1 in the "Structural reform" section)

The sectoral transition indicators reflect the judgments of the EBRD's Office of the Chief Economist about progress in transition by sector and the size of the remaining transition "gap" or challenges ahead. The scores range from 1 to 4+ and are based on an assessment of the size of the challenges in two components: market structure and market-supporting institutions and policies. The scoring for the components is based on either publicly available data or observable characteristics of market structure and institutions. Based on the results of this scoring exercise, remaining transition gaps for market structure and institutions were classified as either "negligible", "small", "medium" or "large". The final numerical score is based on these gap ratings as well as the underlying information. Table N.1.1.1 serves as a guide, defining the ranges for those cases where the two component assessments are the same, however exceptions can be made to this rule.

The following tables show, for each sector, the weighting attached to the two components (market structure and market-supporting institutions and policies), the criteria used in each case (and the associated weights), and the indicators and data sources that fed into the final assessments. For the corporate and financial sectors, the exact sources are listed in the tables. The assessment of remaining transition challenges in the energy sectors is based on cross-country factual data and information on the energy sector (oil, gas, mining, electric power) in the EBRD's countries of operations, including from external agencies (International Energy Agency, EC Progress Reports on accession countries, Business Monitor International sector reports, Energy Regulators Regional Association, and so on). This year, the assessment for the natural resources sector has been done by subcomponent (oil and gas and mining), which were then aggregated with a weight reflecting the importance of subcomponents for a country's economy. For infrastructure sectors, the assessment relied both on quantitative indicators (for example, cost recovery tariffs based on information from EBRD projects) and qualitative assessments of the less quantifiable measures, such as the relations between municipalities and their utilities. Sources encompassed in-house information from investment projects and cross-country data and assessments from several external agencies (including the World Bank, the European Commission and the OECD).

Corporates

Energy

Infrastructure

Financial institutions

Country transition indicators

(See Table S.4 in the “Structural reform” section)

The country transition indicators in the “Structural reform” section reflect the judgement of the EBRD’s Office of the Chief Economist about country-specific progress in transition.

The scores range from 1 to 4+ and are based on a classification system that was originally developed in the 1994 Transition Report, but has been refined and amended in subsequent Reports.

Large-scale privatisation

1 Little private ownership.

2 Comprehensive scheme almost ready for implementation; some sales completed.

3 More than 25 per cent of large-scale enterprise assets in private hands or in the process of being privatised (with the process having reached a stage at which the state has effectively ceded its ownership rights), but possibly with major unresolved issues regarding corporate governance.

4 More than 50 per cent of state-owned enterprise and farm assets in private ownership and significant progress with corporate governance of these enterprises.

4+ Standards and performance typical of advanced industrial economies: more than 75 per cent of enterprise assets in private ownership with effective corporate governance.

Small-scale privatisation

1 Little progress.

2 Substantial share privatised.

3 Comprehensive programme almost completed.

4 Complete privatisation of small companies with tradeable ownership rights.

4+ Standards and performance typical of advanced industrial economies: no state ownership of small enterprises; effective tradeability of land.

Governance and enterprise restructuring

1 Soft budget constraints (lax credit and subsidy policies weakening financial discipline at the enterprise level); few other reforms to promote corporate governance.

2 Moderately tight credit and subsidy policy, but weak enforcement of bankruptcy legislation and little action taken to strengthen competition and corporate governance.

3 Significant and sustained actions to harden budget constraints and to promote corporate governance effectively (for example, privatisation combined with tight credit and subsidy policies and/or enforcement of bankruptcy legislation).

4 Substantial improvement in corporate governance and significant new investment at the enterprise level, including minority holdings by financial investors.

4+ Standards and performance typical of advanced industrial economies: effective corporate control exercised through domestic financial institutions and markets, fostering market-driven restructuring.

Price liberalisation

1 Most prices formally controlled by the government.

2 Some lifting of price administration; state procurement at non-market prices for the majority of product categories.

3 Significant progress on price liberalisation, but state procurement at non-market prices remains substantial.

4 Comprehensive price liberalisation; state procurement at non-market prices largely phased out; only a small number of administered prices remain.

4+ Standards and performance typical of advanced industrial economies: complete price liberalisation with no price control outside housing, transport and natural monopolies.

Trade and foreign exchange system

1 Widespread import and/or export controls or very limited legitimate access to foreign exchange.

2 Some liberalisation of import and/or export controls; almost full current account convertibility in principle, but with a foreign exchange regime that is not fully transparent (possibly with multiple exchange rates).

3 Removal of almost all quantitative and administrative import and export restrictions; almost full current account convertibility.

4 Removal of all quantitative and administrative import and export restrictions (apart from agriculture) and all significant export tariffs; insignificant direct involvement in exports and imports by ministries and state-owned trading companies; no major non-uniformity of customs duties for non-agricultural goods and services; full and current account convertibility.

4+ Standards and performance norms of advanced industrial economies: removal of most tariff barriers; membership in WTO.

Competition policy

1 No competition legislation and institutions.

2 Competition policy legislation and institutions set up; some reduction of entry restrictions or enforcement action on dominant firms.

3 Some enforcement actions to reduce abuse of market power and to promote a competitive environment, including break-ups of dominant conglomerates; substantial reduction of entry restrictions.

4 Significant enforcement actions to reduce abuse of market power and to promote a competitive environment.

4+ Standards and performance typical of advanced industrial economies: effective enforcement of competition policy; unrestricted entry to most markets.

• Prev
• Next