Silence-is-consent: deadlines that make permits move

A World Bank assessment finds a gap between the rules economies put on paper and the public services businesses encounter. Reseated’s Red Tape Council is calling for impact tests, one-stop digital processes, published service times and a clear deadline for permit decisions.

What happened

The World Bank’s 2025 B-READY assessment covered 101 economies and reported that public-services scores averaged about 23% below regulatory-framework scores.

The 2025 B-READY assessment covered 101 economies and put their average business-readiness result at about 60%.
Across the assessment, public-services scores were about 23% below regulatory-framework scores; a full 164-economy edition was expected by the end of 2026.

What it means for small businesses

A clear rule is not the same as a public process that is straightforward to use: owners may need both predictable requirements and a functioning route through the service.

The assessment is a signal to examine administrative delivery, not proof that a particular country, permit office or owner has experienced a specific delay.

Reseated’s proposal would make service standards visible and put a deadline on permit decisions, while leaving the design and application of any rule to the relevant authorities.