Corporate Structuring Advantages in the Netherlands
Why the Netherlands?
When companies seek to enter international markets, the Netherlands often emerges as a top choice. It offers one of the world's most open economies, Europe’s largest port, efficient bureaucracy, and favorable tax policies. Expanding into new markets and understanding new country regulations always involves significant risk. However, the Netherlands stands out as a stable and flexible country compared to others, providing numerous advantages for corporations. These advantages can be summarized as follows:
- Ideal for companies and regional headquarters
- Excellent distribution and logistics network
- Optimal environment for start-up companies
- Research and Development (R&D) support
- Support for manufacturing investments
Headquarters
Due to its strategic location at the heart of Europe’s key markets, the Netherlands has become a focal point for international companies to establish their European or regional headquarters. The Netherlands offers businesses the best environment to compete in Europe, thanks to its strong international agreements, business-friendly environment, highly educated workforce, and advanced logistics, technology, and infrastructure. As one of the most vibrant trade and industrial centers in the European Union, the Netherlands is an ideal gateway to Europe for many international businesses.
Distribution and Logistics
The Netherlands features world-class ports, centrally located airports, extensive and modern road networks, and the presence of top-tier logistics service providers. These attributes make the Netherlands a significant advantage for companies seeking to establish or expand an international logistics network. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is the world's second-best connected airport and one of Europe's largest cargo airports. Rotterdam Port is the largest port in Europe and the second-largest in the world outside East Asia.
Start-ups
Many Dutch companies were listed among the fastest-growing companies in the Financial Times FT1000 list in 2021. According to NimbleFins, the Netherlands is ranked as the fourth-best country in Europe for start-up firms. The Amsterdam-Delta is one of Europe’s top three start-up ecosystems. The Netherlands hosts over ten leading innovation centers, from which start-up firms can benefit for their R&D facilities. The country ranks fifth in the European Commission's 2021 European Innovation Scoreboard within the EU.
Research and Development
The Netherlands contributes to innovation through first-class research institutes and R&D tax incentives. Thanks to a series of agreements between science, industry, and government, the country is far ahead in terms of R&D efficiency compared to other countries. The fact that many major multinational companies choose the Netherlands as their European R&D center has made it the fourth-highest country in Europe in terms of patent applications per million inhabitants. In addition, the growing entrepreneurial activities contribute to a significant number of patent applications each year.