Business Climate

"Coming from the United States, we've found the Europeans to be conservative in their business approach. The Dutch are more entrepreneurial....I don't know if we could have accomplished this anywhere else!"
Kent Lee, Founder & CEO
East View Information Services

A culture steeped in international business

The Netherlands has long been acknowledged for its conducive business environment. For example, IMD's 2007 World Competitiveness Yearbook ranked the Netherlands well ahead of its key competitors in terms of "Business Efficiency."

Also, in 2007, A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy magazine ranked the Netherlands third worldwide in its "Globalization Index." And the World Bank Group praised the Netherlands' business-friendly regulatory environment in its 2004 Doing Business report.

And, since 2003, Dutch government reforms have either eliminated or strongly committed to eliminate 4 billion euros of administrative burdens on business, making the Netherlands the first country to achieve a 25% reduction in administrative costs. To quote World Bank Group in 2007: "Dutch regulatory reform is among the world's best. It is well-known internationally as the most innovative initiative in cutting red tape."

All this recognition is well earned. The Netherlands has one of the EU's most politically stable and pro-business governments. Its economy is internationally oriented. Its financial sector is sophisticated. Its regulatory climate is simple and straightforward. And its real estate environment is also attractive, with lower annual costs than many Western European nations including Great Britain, Germany, France and Denmark.