Study: U.S. top e-commerce country

The United States, the United Kingdom and Canada have the most favorable environments for e-commerce, thanks to government policies and other factors, according to a new study.

The report, from consulting company Booz Allen Hamilton, was commissioned by the British government's Office of the e-Envoy, which is devoted to getting the United Kingdom online. The study looked at eight countries to see how Britain measured up.

"The countries with the most advanced e-economies got an early start and haven't looked back," Booz Allen Vice President Barrie Berg said in a release. "They have succeeded by maintaining their commitment to drive e-access into all aspects of society."

Sweden was another country that shined according to the criteria laid out by Booz Allen, topping the citizen involvement, e-government and business maturity categories along with the United States.

The current U.S. administration has undertaken a 24 step e-government initiative aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal government's transactions.

The United Kingdom has also been pushing for more progress on e-government. The British government has pledged to put all its services online by the end of 2005, and is spending about $15 billion on more than 100 major information technology projects.