Dimension 4 of the Small Business Act (SBA) assesses the extent to which public administrations have developed instruments to simplify regulations and reduce costs and procedures for SMEs. It has two sub-dimensions: the company registration process, and interaction with online government services (e-government).In recent years, Eastern Partner (EaP) countries have made significant progress in reforming the operational environment for SMEs. In particular, reforms to the company registration process have led to the removal of overly burdensome regulations, saving time and reducing costs for SMEs and entrepreneurs. In some cases, countries have redesigned the registration process by overhauling inefficient institutions and bringing administrative procedures in line with world standards. The introduction of e-government services in the EaP region has also led to a reduced administrative burden and greater accessibility to public services for SMEs. Countries are developing a range of e-government services, from electronic signatures to increasing connectivity between public administration databases.