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The business-portal BEL.BIZ (www.bel.biz) was launched in 2005 by International Finance Corporation (IFC) to improve SME access to information in Belarus. The project is funded jointly with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
According to enterprise surveys conducted by the World Bank Group, the main impediments to SME growth are excessive regulation of the private sector and the absence of information about administrative procedures. Consequently, the portal seeks to provide SMEs with information about changes in administrative procedures, how to run a business and how best to work with government authorities.
The portal contains information on establishing and operating companies, effective management, opportunities for access to finance, leasing; marketing, and other practical information for businesses. A more specific target of the Belarusian SME Toolkit is the description and analysis of regulatory procedures which are of particular interest and most challenging to the business community.
The portal is updated on a daily basis in partnership with Belarusian state agencies, legal and consulting companies, leading banks, and mass-media.
Due to the practical and contextual nature of the online information, BEL.BIZ has become very popular among Belarusian SMEs. According to IFC survey in March 2007 48% of Belarusian SMEs and 35% of individual entrepreneurs are aware of BEL.BIZ.
BEL.BIZ twice became the winner of the national competition “Brand of the year”. In January 2006,
BEL.BIZ won the recognition of an international jury in the Internet-project nomination. In January 2007,
BEL.BIZ became a winner in the Socially-Responsible Brand nomination.
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