Russia loses competitive ability

Switzerland became the most competitive country in the world according the World Economic Forum rating. The country took the same position last year, with Singapore and Sweden following. Russia's position on the list worsened as the country slipped to the 66^th place.

In 2010, Russia was ranked 63^rd. The results, which the country showed this year, became worse than those of the BRICS countries. China climbed one step up - from the 27^th to the 26^th in 2010. Brazil also improved the results as it climbed from the 58^th place in 2010 to the 53^rd in 2011. India showed negative dynamics: the country went down to the 56^th position from the 51^st.

As for certain directions, Russia was ranked 128^th on the level of the development of institutes (10 positions down). The situation is the same with the efficiency of the market of goods and services.

As for the efficiency of the labor market, the country took the 65^th position (-8), the 114^th place (-13) - on complication of business, 127^th - on the development of the financial market, 68^th - on the technological development, 71^st (-14) - on innovation activities.

Improvements were noticed on the parameters of the macroeconomic environment, which does not depend much on the country's efforts. As for this index, Russia went 35 places up and was ranked 44^th. The country takes the 48^th position on infrastructure and comes 52^nd on the level of higher education and professional training.

The decline of Russia shows that the worsening of the quality of institutes, the efficiency of the labor market and the complexities of business conduct outbalanced the improvement of the macroeconomic stability, the report from the World Economic Forum said.

Experts paid attention to low efficiency of the commodity market. "The competition in domestic and foreign markets is suppressed with the structure of the market, which is dominated by several large companies. The competition is also suppressed with awkward anti-monopoly policies, and restrictions on trade and foreign property," the report also said.

In June, during the Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, there was a special formula of competitiveness voiced for Russia - "3+5".

Russia has preserved certain global advantages since the Soviet times. They include the expansive global market, a favorable macroeconomic situation and the wide range of natural resources.

To improve its positions, the country needs to lay an emphasis on the advantages that it already has and overcome negative trends - corruption and the degradation of professional education. One also has to boost competition between companies, develop financial markets and increase the efficiency of commodity markets.

As for the leaders, the fourth position on the above-mentioned list is taken by Finland , which made an impressive leap from the seventh place, and the USA, which took position No. 5, although the country came fourth in 2010.

The positions of the United States and its neighbor, Canada, have been worsening on the rating from the WEF. Before 2009, WEF experts considered the US to be the most competitive country in the world.

As for Canada, the country left the top ten and came 12^th. The top ten includes Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Japan and Britain.

As for non-competitive countries, the list ends with Burundi (140^th), Haiti (141^st) and Chad (142^nd).

Anastasia Romasheva.