singapore investment climate report copyright us department of state policy summary foreign investments combined with through government linked companies glcs underpin s open heavily trade dependent economy the exception restrictions in financial services professional and media sectors maintains an regime world bank doing business 2005 removing obstacles to growth ranked as third easiest which do after new zealand united states free agreement came into force january 1 2004 expanded market access goods procurement intellectual property provides for cooperation promoting labor rights environment has concluded is process negotiating several agreements other countries around strongly committed both maintaining a taking leadership role planning economic development that traditionally relied on industrial active use public sector investor catalyst given rise characterization inc