Download Holland Compared - IDF World Dairy Summit 2016

Holland Compared
Facts and Figures, Winter 2016
GRONINGEN
Groningen
Leeuwarden
FRIESLAND
Assen
DRENTHE
NOORDHOLLAND
NORTH SEA
Zwolle
Lelystad
Head of State
Capital
Seat of government
Administrative structure
FLEVOLAND
Haarlem
OVERIJSSEL
Amsterdam
's-Gravenhage (The Hague)
GELDERLAND
Utrecht
ZUIDHOLLAND
UTRECHT
Surface area
Location
Arnhem
Rotterdam
GERMANY
's-Hertogenbosch
Middelburg
Official name
Form of government
Breda
NOORD-BRABANT
ZEELAND
Eindhoven
Number of inhabitants
Number of inhabitants per km2
Monetary unit
Languages
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Constitutional monarchy,
parliamentary democracy
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, King of
the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau
Amsterdam
The Hague
Twelve provinces and the overseas
territories of Aruba, Curacao and
St. Martin. The overseas islands of Bonaire,
Saba and St. Eustatius, all three of which
are situated in the Caribbean, are ‘special
municipalities of the Netherlands’
33,800 km2
Western Europe, by the North Sea,
bordering Belgium and Germany
16,958,611 (October 2015)
502 (October 2015)
Euro
Dutch, Frisian
LIMBURG
BELGIUM
Maastricht
UK
GERMANY
BELGIUM
FRANCE
2
3
Content
Page
Foreword
6
1.
General Information
8
2.
Macro Indicators
14
3.
Trade and Foreign Investment
24
4.
Holland Digital Gateway
38
5.
Top Sectors in Focus
48
6.
Human Capital and Innovation
70
7.
Infrastructure
84
8.
Government
90
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
4
5
Foreword
Often referred to as
Holland, the Netherlands
has for centuries had
one of the world’s most
open economies.
The Dutch engage in
all forms of business all
around the globe.
There are few nations in the world that can link their economic and social
development and success so clearly and distinctly to their physical
environment as the Netherlands. Located in a low-lying delta at the
confluence of three major rivers, the Dutch were faced with a challenging
and risk-laden environment in which to settle and develop what would
become one of Europe’s strongest economies.
The Netherlands has recently risen from 8th to 5th place in the Global
Competitiveness Report 2015–2016, published by the World Economic
Forum. As the world’s fifth-largest exporter, second-largest exporter of
agri-food products and eighth-largest foreign investor, the Netherlands
occupies a prominent position when it comes to world trade.
export are destined for Europe. The Netherlands is proud that in the first
half of 2016 it will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European
Union for the 12th time. To promote the well-being of all member states,
the Netherlands envisages a European Union that is focused on the
essentials, remains competitive and keeps innovating. The challenge is to
make Europe stronger, by ensuring high levels of prosperity, freedom and
security.
The Netherlands welcomes its European colleagues and looks forward to
constructive dialogues and inspiring results.
Renée Jones-Bos
Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Netherlands has long had an open economy and 33% of our income
is derived from trade. Europe is by far our most significant trading
partner – more than three-quarters of the products and services we
6
7
1. Introducing
Holland: A Sustainable Urban Delta
As a country within a low-lying delta, The
Netherlands has been faced with the
enormous might of the sea from the outset.
The age-old relationship with water has
shaped the Dutch DNA. The typical Dutch
approach is characterised by collaboration,
cross-fertilization, and creativity. The Dutch
are known for their pragmatic and integrated
solutions. By working with nature, the Dutch
have succeeded in creating sustainable
solutions for the growth of their economy.
Solutions that not only focus on practical
issues such as urban planning, clean energy,
drinking water, air quality, and waste
management, but also on issues such as
governance, tolerance and a fair society.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
9
Brake on
population growth
Attractive
place to live
Population by age (2014)
Quality of life (2015)
9,0 9,2 9,4 9,6 9,8 10
9,1 9,3 9,5 9,7 9,9
5
5
4
4
1
1
9.73
Switzerland
Norway
9.57
Austria
33
Denmark
9.38
Luxembourg
9.36
Germany
22
1.1.0-19
13.1% 5.
5. Older
Olderthan
than79
794.3%
4.3%
0-1922.9%
22.9% 2.2.20-39
20-3924.5%
24.5% 3.
3.40-64
40-64 23.3%
23.3% 4. 65-79 13.1%
Source: Statistics Netherlands, 2014.
In total 17.0 million people live on the relatively small piece of land that
is the Netherlands, which makes the country one of the most densely
populated in the world. However, population growth is slowing down in
the Netherlands, as it is in many other Western countries. This slowdown,
together with an increasingly healthy generation aged 65 and above,
has resulted in an ageing population.
10 GENERAL INFORMATION
9.51
9.31
Netherlands
9.22
Canada
9.22
Australia
9.11
Finland
9.02
Source: IMD, 2015.
7,5
8,0
8,5
9,0
Whether visiting for7 business
or pleasure,
the
Netherlands
is9,5home to10 a
highly pleasant living environment. It currently ranks seventh worldwide in
terms of quality of life. Leisure amenities are within easy reach and Dutch
cities have much to offer, such as the centuries-old architecture of
Amsterdam, Delft, Groningen and Leiden as well as cultural activities and
world-famous museums such as the Van Gogh Museum and the Hermitage
Amsterdam. Housing is also fairly affordable compared to other countries,
according to IMD. In addition to the various international schools in the
Netherlands, a large and growing number of schools (119 in 2013) teach in
two languages (mostly Dutch and English). Finally, the Dutch healthcare
system officially ranks among the world’s best. According to the Commonwealth Fund, the Dutch healthcare system is the best in the world in terms
of quality, access, efficiency, funding and the healthy lives, on average, of
the general population.
GENERAL INFORMATION 11
One of the most
competitive economies
Global Competitiveness Index (2015-2016)
Switzerland
5.76
Singapore
5.68
United States
5.61
Germany
5.53
Netherlands
5.5
Japan
5.47
Hong Kong, China
5.46
Finland
5.45
Sweden
5.43
United Kingdom
5.43
Source: World Economic Forum, 2015.
5,2
5,3
5,4
,45
5,5
,55
5,6
,65
5,7
,75
5,8
According to a number of international league tables published by
renowned institutes such as IMD and the World Economic Forum, the
Netherlands is among the world leaders when it comes to favourable
business climate. There are numerous factors that form the basis for the
favourable position that the Netherlands enjoys, including its open and
international outlook, its strategic location in Europe, its well-educated,
multilingual and flexible workforce, and the high level of labour productivity. The competitive fiscal climate, top-level physical and technological
infrastructure and quality of life are key contributors to the country’s
success. The Netherlands is thus an attractive location for companies
seeking a European base and for those wishing to invest.
Source: DSM N.V.
12 GENERAL INFORMATION
2. Macro Indicators
The impact of the downturn in world trade
as a result of the global economic crisis was
immediately tangible in the Netherlands with
its buoyant and open economy. However, the
Netherlands continues to perform well on
many fronts. For example, the Netherlands
has one of the highest incomes per capita in
the EU, Rotterdam is still Europe’s largest
port and the Netherland’s high-quality ICT
infrastructure ensures that the country
remains the gateway to Europe.
Source: Hannah Anthonysz/Rotterdam Image Bank
15
Sixth-largest
EU economy
High average
income
GDP in the EU (2014)
GDP per capita (2014)
2,903,790
Germany
1,616,047
Italy
1,058,469
Spain
436,342
Sweden
412,189
Poland
402,270
Belgium
Millions of euros. Source: Eurostat, 2015.
0
500.000
1.000.000
1.500.000
2.000.000
2.500.000
Netherlands
47,634.8
46,171.4
Sweden
45,152.5
Germany
44,985.5
Denmark
44,889.1
36,236.9
US dollars, corrected for Purchasing Power Parity. Source: OECD, 2015.
3.000.000
In terms of surface area and population size, the Netherlands is not a
particularly large country and ranks 133rd and 64st worldwide. In stark
contrast, the country’s economic performance ranks much higher. The size
of the economy, or the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is about 615 billion
euros in 2014. The Netherlands has the seventeenth-largest economy in
the world and the sixth-largest in the European Union.
16 MACRO INDICATORS
47,795.8
EU-28
328,996
Austria
Ireland
Austria
653,476
Netherlands
54,639.9
United States
2,142,022
France
57,246.3
Switzerland
2,217,872
United Kingdom
98,328.5
Luxembourg
The Netherlands is one of the wealthiest nations in the European Union.
The Dutch GDP per person employed is 47,146 US dollars (figure 2015, The
Conference Board, 2015), in Luxembourg 50,499 US dollars and 42,123 in
Germany. Compared with other, similar economies outside the European
Union, such as that of Canada (50,488 US dollars), the Netherlands also
performs as well. The high average income of the Dutch is the result of
high labour productivity and a high level of labour participation.
MACRO INDICATORS 17
High productivity
per hour
Prosperous, sustainable
and enterprising
GDP per hour, corrected for purchasing power parity (2015)
Growth in GDP in % (2006-2013)
Belgium
67
Switzerland
United States
67
Sweden
2.0
1.8
Netherlands
65
Germany
1.4
Ireland
65
Austria
1.4
Germany
64
United States
France
64
Belgium
1.3
1.0
Denmark
63
Netherlands
0,7
Switzerland
61
France
0.7
Sweden
60
Finland
0.7
Austria
US dollars.
Source: The Conference Board, 2015.
30
35
40
45
50
Source: Eurostat, 2014.
55
60
65
70
75
The working population in the Netherlands is highly educated, employees
have an international outlook, and many speak more than one foreign
language. This high level of education and the strong economic structure
(enabled by the physical and the knowledge infrastructure, for example)
allow employees to be productive. Labour productivity per hour is among
the highest in the world. It is noteworthy that the Netherlands has
combined this high level of productivity with a high level of labour
participation, also among semi-skilled and unskilled workers.
18 MACRO INDICATORS
0.6
Euro area
56
0
0,5
1,0
1.5
2.0
Compared to many other EU Member States, the Netherlands has a highly
open economy, which is why the country was hit hard by the sharp
downturn in world trade in 2008 and 2009. When considered over a longer
period of time, the Netherlands shows reasonable economic growth
compared to other prosperous EU Member States and the US. This is a
good performance for a highly developed economy with a high standard of
living (see also GDP per capita). The structural reforms that have been
implemented in areas such as the labour market and the social security
system, have created conditions for potentially healthy economic growth
that offers room for investments in knowledge and innovation, for
example, so that the Netherlands will remain a prosperous, sustainable
and enterprising nation.
MACRO INDICATORS 19
Moderate
inflation
High labour
participation rate
Average annual inflation (2006-2013)
Employment rates (2014)
0.4
Switzerland
1.5
1.6
1.1
Ireland
1.6
2.0
France
2.1
1.8
Netherlands
2.2
Euro area
2.2
1.9
2.3
2.4
Austria
Netherlands
71.6
73.9
Denmark
73.6
70.6
Austria
72.6
70.4
72.0
68.4
2.0
United Kingdom
2.0
Finland
68.7
67.6
United States
.
68,5
67.5
2.2
2.32.6
Belgium
74.0
72.2
Germany
1.8
Germany
Denmark
74.9
75.7
Sweden
1.7
Sweden
75.879.7
Switzerland
Average annual price increases as a percentage. Source: Eurostat, 2014.
66.3
65.7
OECD-countries
Source: OECD, 2015. 0
The Netherlands enjoys a good reputation in monetary terms. Long before
the introduction of the euro, price rises in the Netherlands were at a
moderate level, thanks to sound monetary policies on the part of DNB
(the Dutch Central Bank). The product and labour markets also operate
relatively well, which helps to moderate price increases. According to the
IMD (2015), the Netherlands ranks fifth worldwide in the fight against
unfair competition.
20 MACRO INDICATORS
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
75,8
In the period 1990-2014, the level of employment in the Netherlands
has increased by 30%. The strong growth in jobs is largely due to the
structural economic reforms that have been implemented. The relative
stability of the labour market - there are relatively few strikes in the
Netherlands - can also be attributed to maintaining a favourable business
climate. Thanks to the firm growth in employment, a large proportion of
the potential working population is employed. Indeed, the proportion is
considerably greater than the average of the OECD- and euro–area
countries.
MACRO INDICATORS 21
Many part-time
employees
Relatively low
unemployment
Part-time work (2013)
Average unemployment (2006-2013)
39.9
Netherlands
25.4
Switzerland
4.8
4.9
Luxembourg
22.8
Germany
4.5
Austria
23.9
United Kingdom
4.3
4.4 4.3
Netherlands
25.1
Ireland
3.8
Switzerland
5.5
5.8
Denmark
5.9
Denmark
19.8
United Kingdom
6.96.3
Belgium
19.8
United States
7.3
Austria
19.3
Germany
7.3
14.5
Luxembourg
14.3
France
5
10
15
20
25
8.3
9.6
Measured as a percentage of the working population. Source: OECD, 2014.
30
35
37,1
A relatively high proportion of Dutch people work part-time. This is often
a deliberate decision, allowing employees to combine work with caring for
their family. From an international perspective, the number of people - and
particularly women - in the Netherlands who work part-time is high: nearly
75% of all Dutch part-time workers are women. Nevertheless, the average
working week for full-time employees is more or less on a par with most
other Eurozone countries. The same applies to the number of hours
worked in a year by full-time employees.
22 MACRO INDICATORS
7.8
8.4
Euro area
Measured as a percentage of employment as a whole.
Source: OECD, 2015.
0
7.5
Sweden
7.1
0
2
4
6
8
The rate of unemployment in the Netherlands is one of the lowest in
Europe. From 2006 to 2013, an average of 4.4% of the potential working
population was unemployed, while the corresponding rate in the euro
countries was 9.6%. As a result of the crisis the unemployment in the
Netherlands increased. In August 2015 it amounted to 6.8% (Eurostat,
2015), compared to an average of 11.0% in the euro countries.
Moreover, youth unemployment is also still low in the Netherlands.
In August 2015, the portion of Holland’s potential working population aged
under 25 that was unemployed amounted to 11.2%. In the euro countries,
the average was 22.3%.
MACRO INDICATORS 23
3. Trade and
Foreign Investment
The Netherlands plays a prominent role in the
world economy due to its exports, imports,
attracting foreign investors, and investments
abroad. Its favourable location in relation to the
European hinterland and its world-class
infrastructure – such as the Port of Rotterdam
and Schiphol Airport – have helped the
Netherlands become an important distribution
centre.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
25
Open
economy
World’s fifth-largest
exporter of goods
Dutch exports of goods and services
Top 10 exporters of goods (2014)
5
6
10
7
8
15
Millions of US dollars
10
20
11
12
13
14
25
15
18
21 23
17 19 20 22 24 25
30
42
16
Share in world exports (%)
China
44.8
1970
9
2,342,808
12.5
49.8
1975
United States
1,622,657
8.7
52.3
1980
Germany
62.1
1985
8.1
Japan
56.1
1995
1,508,346
2000
70.1
2005
69.6
683,846
3.7
Netherlands
672,426
3.6
83.2
2014
South Korea
573,091
France
566,656
3.1
Measured as a percentage of GDP. Source: CPB, 2015.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
3.0
70 72,6
Italy
528,368
2.8
Hong Kong,
China
524,065
United Kingdom
511,283
2.8
2.7
Source: World Trade Organisation, 2015
The Netherlands has traditionally always had an open economy and the
level of trade with other countries is very significant. According to
research carried out by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy
Analysis, the Netherlands earns some 33% of its income from the export of
goods and services. In 2014, the value of exports was 83.2% of the
Netherlands’ GDP.
26 TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT
As the fifth-largest exporter of goods in the world, the Netherlands
23 the
18
occupies a prominent position 6when
to world
In212014,
8 it comes
11 13
16 trade.
14
19
7 a 9total
12almost
10 of
17 billion
20 US
22 24 25
Netherlands exported goods5worth
15 672
dollars, which is about 3.6% of the world’s total exports. The Netherlands
is also a significant exporter of commercial services - exports of
commercial services amounted to 189 billion US dollars (138 billion
Euros) in 2014, which placed the country sixth in the world rankings.
TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT 27
Strong in agri-food
production
Major importer of
goods and services
Top 10 importers of goods (2014)
Top 5 exporters of agricultural products (2014)
Millions of US dollars
Share in world imports (%)
United States
182,235
Millions of US dollars
Share in world imports (%)
United States
2,408,098
12.8
10.3
Netherlands
112,061
China
1,962,085
10.4
6.3
Germany
100,777
Germany
1,216,259
6.5
5.7
Brazil
87,890
Japan
822,251
4.4
5.0
France
81,187
United Kingdom
687,269
3.7
4.6
Source: World Trade Organisation, 2015.
France
659,872
3.5
Hong Kong, China
600,613
3.2
Netherlands
588,051
3.1
The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest exporter of agri-food
products. For decades, the Dutch agriculture sector has succeeded in
maintaining its lead over international competitors through continual
investment in innovation in agri-food value chains. The Netherlands is a
hotbed of R&D in the area of agri-food, due largely to the excellent
knowledge infrastructure and close collaborations between knowledge
institutes, government and the private sector, the so-called “golden
triangle”. Key R&D centres include Wageningen University and Research
Centre (WUR), the Top Institute Food & Nutrition and the public-private
innovation program FND+. Some 12 out of the 40 largest Food & Beverage
companies in the world have R&D facilities located in the Netherlands.
WUR is the foremost university in Europe in the field of agriculture, and
second in the world, according to the Higher Education Evaluation &
Accreditation Council of Taiwan.
28 TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT
South Korea
525,563
2.8
Italy
471,659
2.5
Source: International Trade Organisation, 2015.
As well as being a major exporter, the Netherlands also imports large
quantities of goods: 588 billion-US-dollars-worth in 2014. With a about
3.1% share of the global total, the country is the eight-largest importer of
goods in the world. The Netherlands is also a significant importer of
commercial services - imports of commercial services amounted to 157
billion US dollars (118 billion Euros) in 2014, which placed the Netherlands
seventh in the world rankings.
TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT 29
Most significant trading
partner: Western Europe
Geographical destination of Dutch exports (2014)
5 5
4 44 5
6 66
Gateway
to Europe
Geographical origin of Dutch imports (2014)
7
7 77
Total
Centroamérica
y América
del
Sur
Total
Centroamérica
yy América
del
Sur
Total
Centroamérica
América
77
6 66
3 3
3
2 22
5 55
4 44
3 33
1 11
1. Europe 340.8
1. 1.Europe
Europe
340.8
340.8
2. Africa 14.2
2. 2.Africa
Africa
14.214.2
3. North America 21.5
3. 3.North
North
America
America
21.521.5
4. Middle and
4. 4.Middle
Middle
andand
South America 9.8
South
South
America
America
9.8 9.8
5. Near and Far East 9.5
5. 5.Near
andand
FarFar
EastEast
9.5 9.5
Near
6. Asia 34.3
6. 6.AsiaAsia
34.334.3
7. Oceania 2.6
7. 7.Oceania
2.6 2.6
Oceania
Values in billions of euros. Source: Statistics Netherlands, 2015.
The role of the Netherlands as a key distribution location is also indicated
by the volume of import and export activities. Almost 79% of Dutch exports
remain within Europe, especially Western Europe. Germany is easily the
Netherlands’ most significant trading partner, followed by Belgium,
the United Kingdom and France.
30 TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT
2 22
Europe
238.6
1. 1.1.
Europe
238.6
Europe
238.6
2. Africa 14.1
2. 2.
Africa
14.114.1
Africa
3. North America 28.4
3. 3.
North
America
28.428.4
North
America
4. Middle and
4. 4.
Middle
andand
Middle
South America 15
South
America
15 15
South
America
11 1
Near and Far East 10.5
5.5. 5.
Near
andand
Far Far
EastEast
10.510.5
Near
6. Asia 74.8
6. 6.
AsiaAsia
74.874.8
7. Oceania 1.5
7. 7.Oceania
1.5 1.5
Oceania
Values in billions of euros. Source: Statistics Netherlands, 2015.
The Netherlands has become a key hub for distribution in Europe because
of its favourable location in relation to the European hinterland and the
country’s world-class air and sea ports such as the Port of Rotterdam
(Europort) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The Netherlands is home
to more distribution centres than anywhere else in Europe and has the
largest inland shipping fleet in Europe.
TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT 31
Dutch paints add a touch
of colour to the world
Biggest trading partner:
Germany
Composition of Dutch exports (2014)
Composition of Dutch imports (2014)
9 9
9
10 10
10
1 1
99 9
1
10
10 10
11 1
22 2
33 3
2 2
2 3 3
3
8 8
4 4
8
4
7 7
7
1. 1.Food
and
livestock
55.9
Food
and
livestock
55.9
1.Beverages
Food andand
livestock
55.9
2. 2.
tobacco
6.66.6
Beverages
and
tobacco
2.Non-edible
Beveragesresources
and
tobacco
6.6
3. 3.
20.1
Non-edible
resources
20.1
3.Mineral
Non-edible
resources
20.1
4. 4.
fuels
and
oilsoils
73.1
Mineral
fuels
and
73.1
4.OilsMineral
fuels
and oilsand
73.1
5. 5.
and
fats
of of
animal
Oils
and
fats
animal and
5.plant
Oilsorigin
and fats
of animal and
3.73.7
plant
origin
plant origin 3.7
Values in billions of euros.
Source: Statistics Netherlands, 2015.
44 4
5 5
5
6 6
6
6. 6.Chemical
products
75.8
Chemical
products
75.8
Chemical
products
75.8
7.6.7. Manufactured
goods
37.6
Manufactured
goods
37.6
Manufactured
goods
37.6
8.7.8.Machinery
and
transportation
Machinery
and
transportation
8. devices
Machinery
and transportation
114.7
devices
114.7
devices
114.7
9. 9.Other
manufactured
Other manufactured
9. goods
Other42.8
manufactured
goods 42.8
goods 42.8
10.10.
Others
2.12.1
Others
10. Others 2.1
The Netherlands is the second-largest exporter of agricultural products
worldwide, after the United States. Horticulture is by far the most
important segment within the agricultural sector. Other significant Dutch
exports include chemical products (e.g. Sikkens paint), machinery (e.g.
ASML lithography systems) and vehicles (DAF trucks and Scania trucks).
The Netherlands is also a well-known exporter of high-quality aerospace
components and systems (Fokker), ships (IHC Merwede), yachts (Royal Van
Lent Shipyard) and busses and car parts (VDL Group).
32 TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT
88 8
55 5
66
6
77 7
1. Food and livestock 35.8
1. 1.Food
andand
livestock
35.8
Food
livestock
35.8
2. Beverages and tobacco 3.7
2. 2.Beverages
andand
tobacco
3.73.7
Beverages
tobacco
3. Non-edible resources 13.4
3. 3.Non-edible
resources
13.4
Non-edible
resources
13.4
4. Mineral fuels and oils 83.7
4. 4.Mineral
fuels
andand
oilsoils
83.7
Mineral
fuels
83.7
5. Oils and fats of animal
5. 5.OilsOils
andand
fatsfats
of animal
of animal
and plant origin 4.2
andand
plant
origin
4.24.2
plant
origin
6.
6.
7.
7.
8.
8.
Chemical products 51.5
products
51.5
6.Chemical
Chemical
products
51.5
Manufactured goods 37.3
goods
37.3
7.Manufactured
Manufactured
goods
37.3
Machinery and transportation
andand
transportation
8.Machinery
Machinery
transportation
devices 109.0
devices
109.0
devices
109.0
9. Other manufactured goods 43.3
9. 9.Other
manufactured
goods
43.3
Other
manufactured
goods
43.3
10. Others 0.7
10.10.
Others
0.70.7
Others
Values in billions of euros.
Source: Statistics Netherlands, 2015.
In 2014, 16.3% of all imports into the Netherlands originated in Germany.
Almost half of all products purchased by the Netherlands in Germany were
related to chemical products and machinery. Of all of the cars imported
into the Netherlands, more than 90% came from Europe, particularly
Belgium, France and Germany. China (9.6% of total imports of goods) and
Belgium (9.4%) were respectively second and third Dutch import partner.
In 2014 the value of Dutch imports (of goods) was 382.7 billion Euros.
TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT 33
Seventh-largest foreign
investor in the world
Main recipients of foreign investment in Europe (2014)
Foreign investors in the world (2014)
6,319
United States
China
(incl. Hong Kong)
Attractive for inward
foreign investments
2,190
1,663
United Kingdom
Germany
744
United Kingdom
1,584
France
729
Germany
1,583
Spain
722
France
1,279
Switzerland
682
664
Japan
1,193
Netherlands
Switzerland
1,131
Belgium
Netherlands
985
Russian Federation
379
Canada
715
Italy
374
Ireland
369
Spain
674
Most important foreign investors in the world, in billions of US dollars. Source: UNCTAD, 2015.
1k
2k
3k
4k
5k
6k
Dutch businesses are truly international in their orientation. Dutch-based multinationals, such as AkzoNobel, Heineken, KPN, ING, Philips, Rabobank, Unilever and Shell
have made substantial foreign investments in the past. The total amount of Dutch
investments in other countries is considerable. In late 2014, investments overseas
totaled in excess of 985 billion US dollars, making the country the eight-largest foreign
investor in the world.
34 TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT
526
Stocks, in billions of US dollars. Source: UNCTAD, 2015.
200
600
1000
1400
1800
In 2014, foreign companies made inward direct investments worth 664 billion US
dollars or 82.2% of the Netherlands’ GDP. As a result, the Netherlands is the world’s
tenth-largest recipient of foreign investment. Foreign investors provide 15% of Dutch
employment in the private sector (935,310 jobs). It is remarkable that a small country
such as the Netherlands attracts so much foreign investment. In all, more than 6,300
foreign companies have established over 8,110 operations in the Netherlands. Among
the many prominent international companies that have taken advantage of NFIA (the
Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency) services as they located their operations in
the Netherlands, are North American companies like Abbott Laboratories, Boeing,
Bombardier, Cisco Systems, Dow, Eastman Chemical, Heinz, Medtronic, NCR Corporation
and Reebok. They also include European companies such as Bosch, Danone, Siemens
and RWE. Additionally, NFIA assisted a large number of companies from Asia and the
Middle East in their location selection, companies such as Astellas, BenQ, Daewoo,
Fujifilm, Giant, Hitachi, Huawei, ICBC, LG Electronics, SABIC, Samsung, Saudi Aramco,
Tata Consultancy Services, Teijin and Yakult.
TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT 35
Foreign Investors in the
Netherlands
What companies say about the Netherlands
Strategic location
“Opening a base at Schiphol is an important strategic move for
easyJet. easyJet is already the second largest airline at Amsterdam one of Europe’s leading airports serving a large and growing aviation
market with strong passenger demand both to and from the Dutch
capital.”
easyJet (UK)
Digital Gateway
“Now, this is just the European Headquarters, but it is a matter of time
before this office will serve as the headquarters for Africa and the
Middle East as well.”
Netflix (USA)
Superior logistics and technology infrastructure
“Aside from the great infrastructure and the Netherlands excellent
location in Europe, the Netherlands also appeals to us because of
developments in the fields of smart cities, smart environments, and
smart mobility.”
Huawei (China)
www.investinholland.com
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TRADE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT 37
4. Holland Digital
Gateway
The Netherlands is a leading ICT innovator and
a digital gateway to Europe. It has strong ICT
infrastructure and an open innovation model
that leads to high-level research. Moreover, the
Dutch are keenly focused on cyber security and
have developed various centres of expertise
such as The Hague Security Delta. The
Netherlands plays a key role in global Internet
traffic. About a third of Europe’s Internet traffic
with the US goes via the Amsterdam Internet
Exchange. The quality of ICT infrastructure and security in The Netherlands makes it an
attractive location for foreign investors: 25% are
ICT related.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
39
Holland’s ICT Playing
Field
The Dutch and ICT
Strong in innovation, security and connectivity
Metropolitan Amsterdam
Regional cooperation and
innovation in the area of
transport, distribution, and
data processing (new
media, social sciences, data
infrastructure). Dominant
players: Amsterdam Start
Up Delta, Amsterdam
Internet Exchange
(AMS-IX), Science Park
Watergraafsmeer, SURF.
Groningen
Regional cooperation on
focus areas big data and
radio astronomy.
Dominant players: IBM,
Google, RUG, Astron.
East Netherlands
Regional cooperation on focus
areas e-Health and human
capital. Dominant players:
Roessingh Institute, TU Twente,
health care institutions,
businesses in the Health Valley.
The Hague
The Hague Security Delta (HSD), largest security
cluster in Europe. Public and private innovation in
cyber security. Dominant players: Hague Security
Delta Campus, Twente Safety & Security (TS&S),
Dutch Institute for Technology Safety & Security,
Brabant (DITSS).
40 HOLLAND DIGITAL GATEWAY
Eindhoven
Regional cooperation
on focus areas human
capital and big data for
industrial processes.
Dominant players:
ICT-driven companies
such as Philips and
various high tech
suppliers, TU Eindhoven,
Brainport.
•The Netherlands is an international internet hub. It has the most
competitive internet market and the second highest online
connectivity in the world. 98% of households are connected to
(broadband) internet compared to the European average of 62%.
•The Dutch are active internet users: 91% of Dutch aged 16-74
compared to average 75% of Europeans in same age group. 75% of
Dutch between 16-74 years have basic ICT skills. The European
average is 59%.
•Businesses from within and outside Holland invest in data centres
and fibre optics connections in Holland, due to the country’s good
digital infrastructure.
•As a result, a third main-port of large economic importance has
come into being: the digital hub. This hub has created 140,000
jobs (Research by Deloitte. In comparison, Schiphol airport has
166,000 jobs and the Port of Rotterdam, 184,000.)
•For further economic growth, The Netherlands continues to invest
in economic opportunities in the cyber domain and to stimulate
research there
•In addition, the Netherlands is committed to renewing laws and
regulations that limit restrictions to digital innovation and growth.
•The Netherlands actively supports the adoption of international
internet standards and open and secure international internet
hosting.
•COMMIT is the biggest ICT research project in The Netherlands,
including 100 ICT companies, users and universities, working
together.
HOLLAND DIGITAL GATEWAY 41
42 HOLLAND DIGITAL GATEWAY
HOLLAND DIGITAL GATEWAY 43
Everyone’s into ICT
Most advanced ICT economies (2015)
Singapore
6.00
Finland
6.00
Sweden
5.80
Netherlands
5.80
Norway
5.80
5.70
Switzerland
United States
5.60
United Kingdom
5.60
Luxembourg
5.60
Japan
5.60
Source: World Economic Forum, 2015.
7,5
7,6
7,7
7,8
5,5
5,6
5,7
5,8
5,9
6
8,5
Research done in 20158, by the
WEF
into
network
readiness,
awarded
Holland
an excellent score: 4th place (in 2013 and 2014) in a list of 143 countries. The
WEF-Networked Readiness Index (NRI) is one of the most comprehensive and
authoritative assessments of the impact of ICT on competitiveness of nations
and the well-being of their citizens. The NRI assesses the preparedness of an
economy to fully leverage ICT in terms of: (1) ICT infrastructure, cost of access
and the presence of the necessary skills to ensure an optimal use; (2) Uptake
and use of ICT among governments, business and individuals; (3) Business
and innovation environment, and the political and regulatory framework; and
(4) Economic and social impacts accruing from ICT, and according to the
International Telecommunication Union, the Netherlands ranks 7th among
the world’s most advanced ICT economies, above countries such as Japan and
the U.K. ITU’s ICT Development Index ranks 166 countries according to their
level of ICT access, use and skills.
44 HOLLAND DIGITAL GATEWAY
HOLLAND DIGITAL GATEWAY 45
Leading the field
in broadband
Number of broadband connections (2013)
44.9
Switzerland
40.4
Netherlands
35.6
40.0
Denmark
37.6
33.9
France
33.5
Korea
32.8
Norway
United Kingdom 31.9
37.0
35.8
32.4
Iceland
37.5
35.2
30.4
Germany
34.8
30.3
Belgium
34.4
Measured per 100 inhabitants. Source: OECD, 2015.
28
29
30
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
In December 2013, the Netherlands had the second-highest number of
broadband connections per 100 inhabitants in the world. Almost
every household in the Netherlands can be reached by a cable or
DSL connection. With the world’s largest digital data distributor, the
Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX), the Netherlands also has an
outstanding data connection network, which is essential for businesses
such as banks, insurers, internet-based companies and computer and
advertising companies.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
46 HOLLAND DIGITAL GATEWAY
47
5. Top Sectors in Focus
In its economic policy, the Dutch government is
focussing on nine business sectors that are key
to Holland’s international trade and investment.
These are sectors that are leading the way in
innovation and sustainability, collaborating
with Holland’s knowledge institutes on worldclass research and development. Expertise and
products from these Dutch sectors is on demand
around the world. Together, these sectors are
the drivers of the Dutch economy.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
49
‘Future Shapers Top 100’ –
Innovation by Holland
How is Dutch innovation shaping the world’s future? The ‘Future
Shapers Top 100’ (source Accenture/RTLZ) is a reflection of the
innovative strength of businesses, knowlegde institutes and
governmental organisations in the Netherlands. The innovations
illustrate Dutch creativity, entrepreneurship and endurance. As a
model Sustainable Urban Delta, the Netherlands has answers to a
wide range of challenges facing the world today. Global challenges,
Dutch solutions.
The ‘Future Shapers Top 100’ is a joint initiative of the public and
private sector. See all the innovations at:
http://toekomstmakerstop100.nl/innovations.
Source: SolaRoad
50
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 51
Agriculture & Food
Sector
World-leading supplier of agri-food products
•Holland is the world’s 2nd largest exporter of agricultural
products, after the USA. Together with the USA and Spain, Holland
is one of the top 3 exporters of vegetables and fruit.
•The total value of Dutch agricultural exports was 80.7 billion euros
in 2014.
•In 2012 the Dutch agri-food industry contributed 48.7 billion euros
of added value to Dutch GDP.
•The Netherlands is the largest exporter of tomatoes and potatoes
in the world. In 2013 the Dutch agrifood sector exported tomatoes
to the value of about 1.8 billion US dollars.
•Four out of the world’s top-30 food and beverage companies
WORDT Three out of the world’s top-25 food and beverage
companies.
•The Food Valley region, centred at Wageningen University and
Research Center, is one of the most authoritative agri-food and
nutrition research centres in Europe. Wageningen University
occupies the first place in the European ranking, and the second
place worldwide in the QS World University Rankings by Subject
2014, in the category Agriculture & Forestry.
•NIZO food research owns the largest food testing pilot plant in
Europe and is open to the entire food and ingredient industry.
•Holland is one of the world’s leading developers and
manufacturers of food processing machinery. Dutch industry
produces 80% of the world’s capacity of poultry processing
machinery, and a substantial amount of cheese production
machinery.
•Dutch agricultural entrepreneurs use efficient and sustainable
production systems and processes, resulting in a productivity that
is five times higher than the European average.
•Amsterdam is the largest cocoa port in the world.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 53
Chemical Sector
Chemical portal to Europe
•The chemical industry is one of the leading business sectors in the
Netherlands, making a significant contribution to the economy. In
2013, the turnover was 57 billion euros.
•The Netherlands is the world’s 5th ranking chemical exporting
country. In 2013, Dutch chemical exports were valued at some
75 billion euros.
•Holland is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of chemical products
and services.
•The competitiveness of the Dutch chemical industry lies in its
internal and inter-company integration. Chemical companies work
together on innovation and production, and take advantage of
regional clustering.
• The Netherlands hosts 16 of the world’s top 25 leading chemical companies, including BASF, AkzoNobel and Shell.
•Holland is also home to world-class R&D institutes for
fundamental and applied research such as TNO, Delft University,
Twente University, Wageningen University and Eindhoven
University.
•Within the strong chemical community, the Dutch have formalized
and structured the approach to co-operation. This is done with
formal, long-term public-private partnerships (such as BE-Basic,
the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology and the Dutch
Polymer Institute) as well as through ‘open innovation’ in so called
Centres for Open Chemical Innovation (COCI). The five COCIs are
Chemelot; the Green Chemistry Campus; Plant One; Biotech
Campus; and Green Polymer Application Valley.
•In the area of advanced materials (polymers, composites, etc), the
Netherlands consistently punches above its weight, producing
world-renowned innovations in materials such as Twaron,
Dyneema and Glare, as well as the folding tires for the automotive
industry.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 55
Creative Industries
Masters in architecture, design, fashion and gaming
•Holland’s creative industry ranks among the world’s top 10 in
terms of trade figures, jobs and registrations of brands and
patterns.
• The annual turnover of Dutch creative industries is 32.8 billion euros.
•Dutch architects are commissioned to design prestigious
buildings around the world such as the Mercedes Benz Museum
in Stuttgart, the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing and Battery Park in
New York. Renowned Dutch architects/agencies include Rem
Koolhaas (OMA), Francine Houben (Mecanoo), Ben van Berkel and
Caroline Bos (UNStudio).
•Holland has a long tradition of interior design, epitomized by
Rietveld’s furniture designs. Marcel Wanders is currently one the
world’s best known furniture designers.
•Dutch fashion designers with international acclaim Viktor & Rolf,
Spijkers and Spijkers, Iris van Herpen, Jan Taminiau and Marlies
Dekkers. World-famous Dutch fashion brands include G-Star,
Sandwich, Gsus and Supertrash.
•Holland is the world’s 3rd largest exporter of television formats. TV
producers such as John de Mol, Endemol and Eyeworks are the
creative engine behind some of the world’s most popular TV
shows, such as The Voice, Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, Obese and
So You Wannabe a Popstar.
•The Netherlands is a world-leading developer of computer games
including serious games such as VStep’s Ship Simulator. Famous
Dutch leisure games include Killzone and Age of Wonders.
•The Netherlands is a pioneer in the area of dance music and large
dance events such as Sensation. Dutch DJ Hardwell was voted
world’s best DJ 2013 and 2014, and prior to that DJ Armin van
Buuren was voted the world’s best DJ for five years.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 57
Energy Sector
Innovative, sustainable energy solutions
•The Netherlands is a major natural gas producer and the source of
advanced gas technology. Besides it is also Europe’s leading gas
broker and a strategic gas hub. The country produced 84.9 billion
cubic metres (bcm) in 2013; gas exports amounted to 67.3 bcm.
•The distribution network for gas is the densest in Europe and of a
very high standard.
•The Dutch have unmatched capacity to cope with seasonal
fluctuations in gas demand, providing north-western Europe with
much-needed flexibility.
•Holland has an international reputation for research in renewable
energy, for instance in the field of solar energy, with institutes
such as FOM and ECN, as well as various universities. The Dutch
team from Delft University of Technology has won the World Solar
Challenge, the biennial competition for solar cars, in 2001, 2003,
2005, 2007 and 2013.
•The Dutch have leading expertise in offshore wind energy,
co-combustion of biomass in coal-fired power plants, pretreatment methods of biomass, the use of landfill gas, and the use
of heat pumps combined with heat and cold storage.
•There is extensive experience in the field of energy efficiency due
to a long tradition of multi-annual voluntary agreements on
energy efficiency between Dutch industry and the government.
This has made Dutch industry one of the most energy efficient in
the world.
• 7.5 million tons of municipal waste is converted in 13 efficient and clean waste incinerators to power, heat and reusable resources from the ashes.
•The Netherlands is establishing itself as leader in green gas.
‘Green gas’ technology, the gasification of biomass, has been
patented by Dutch energy company ECN.
•The Netherlands plays a key role as a major oil-refining centre in
Europe, with an extensive supply network of ports, storage
facilities and pipeline connections playing a critical role for oil
supplies to the continent.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 59
High Tech Sector
New technologies for health, mobility, energy and security
•Holland’s high-tech sector is a world leader in the development of
new technologies and materials for use in communication
systems, aircraft and automobiles, medical devices, energy
generation and semiconductor production.
•Dutch companies invented WiFi, the CD and the DVD. Bluetooth
was invented by Dutchman Jaap Haartsen. And high-tech
equipment from Dutch companies are used in 90% of all silicon
chips produced worldwide.
•The Netherlands is strong in nanotechnology research. Dutch
publications in nanotechnology are the most frequently cited by
patents, compared to all other countries in the world. The country
ranks 3rd in citation impact.
•The Netherlands is also world leader in designing, developing and
making high-tech equipment and micro/nano components.
Characteristic features of this equipment are: highly intelligent
(embedded systems, software, sensors); very precise (nanoelectronics, high precision manufacturing), and highly efficient
(mechatronics and smart electronics)
•Dutch multinational ASML is the world’s leading provider of
lithography machines for the semiconductor industry.
•In 2012 the export value from the HTSM sector was 45 billion
euros, and the added value 42 billion euros.
•The Netherlands has a world-leading position in the design and
manufacture of milking robots.
•In 2014, Tech United, a team from the Technical University
Eindhoven (TU/e), became World Champion Robot Soccer for the
second time at the RoboCup 2014 in Brazil.
Source: FL Noun Solar Team
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 61
Horticulture Sector
World’s leading supplier of flowers, plants and trees
•The Dutch horticulture sector is a global trendsetter and the
undisputed international market leader in flowers, plants, bulbs
and propagation material.
•A quarter of the world trade in horticultural products (24%) is in
Dutch hands. Holland has a 52% share of the worldwide trade in
floricultural products, making it the dominant global supplier of
flowers and flower products. Some 80% of all flower bulbs traded
worldwide come from the Netherlands, the majority of which are
tulips.
•The sector is the number 3 exporter in nutritional horticulture
products.
•Dutch horticultural innovations include intelligent greenhouses
that can float on water, moving platforms, robots, innovative
lighting, water and waste recycling, and greenhouses that
generate more energy than they consume and thus contribute to
a reduction in CO2.
•Of the approximately 1,800 new plant varieties that enter the
European market each year, 65% originate in the Netherlands. In
addition, Dutch breeders account for more than 35% of all
applications for community plant variety rights.
•The Dutch are the world’s largest exporter of seeds: the exports of
seeds amounted to 1.6 billion dollars in 2014.
•In 2014 the Netherlands was the world’s second largest exporter
(in value) of fresh vegetables. The Netherlands exported
vegetables with a market value of 7.8 billion US dollars.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 63
Life Sciences and Health
Sector
Helping to advance health worldwide
•The Netherlands ranks 4th worldwide in patent applications for
medical technology and 9th in patent applications for
biotechnology.
•With approximately 375 innovative life sciences companies
clustered within a 120 mile radius, Holland is the most
geographically concentrated region in the world when it comes to
creating economic and social value in Life Sciences and Health.
•Expertise in healthcare infrastructure is characterised by a
turn-key plus approach: Dutch companies are able to cover all
aspects from hospital design & engineering, financing, waste
management, medical equipment etc. while paying special
attention paid to energy efficiency and ‘healing environments’.
•In 2011, Brainport Eindhoven’s Brainport region was named the
world’s most intelligent ICT and health cluster.
•The excellent medical research infrastructure is strongly focused
on translational research in the different medical fields such
oncology, cardiovascular, immunology and neuroscience.
•The Netherlands is a global market leader in mobile health care,
which enables the Dutch to contribute to rural health care in
developing countries around the globe.
•The industry annually exports around 37 billion euros in total of
which 25 billion euros is pharmaceutical and the rest medical
technology and medical and laboratory instruments.
•The sector invests over 2 billion euros in R&D in the Netherlands
each year and is becoming a globally recognized stronghold of
open innovation. It already accounts for 2.5% of GDP.
•Philips is the world leader in medical imaging and patient
monitoring; DSM is a biomaterials leader.
•The Dutch public-private partnership model, such as the
Netherlands Genomics Initiative (NGI) and the three top institutes
(TI Pharma, CTMM and BMM), have set an international standard.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 65
Logistics Sector
Strategic gateway to Europe and the world
•The Netherlands was ranked 2nd in the 2014 World Bank global
Logistics Performance Index (based on terms of efficiency and
effectiveness of its customs, quality of transport, IT infrastructure
for logistics and ease and affordability of shipping).
•The Port of Rotterdam is the world’s 8th-largest and Europe’s
largest port with a throughput of 445 million tons in 2014. From
the Port of Rotterdam, all major industrial and economic centres
in Western Europe can be reached in less than 24 hours.
• In 2013, Schiphol won the ‘ACI EUROPE Best Airport’ award for the fourth time. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport won the award for Best Airport in Europe for the 20th time at the 2015 Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards. At the 2014 World Airport Awards air travellers voted Amsterdam Airport Schiphol the Best Airport in Western Europe.
•According to the World Economic Forum, the quality of the Dutch
infrastructure is among the best in the world, reflecting excellent
facilities for maritime, air, road and railroad transport, ranked 1st,
4th, 2th and 7th, respectively in 2015. IMD Business School ranked
the Netherlands first worldwide in 2015 with regards to the
quality of its water transport infrastructure.
•Dutch inland shipping accounts for 54% of all trade shipping in
Western Europe. The Dutch fleet is, with 7,000 vessels, the biggest
and most modern in Europe. 79% of all containers transported via
inland navigation in the EU-28 countries passes through Dutch
territory.
•Over 1,000 American and Asian companies have centralised their
European distribution activities in the Netherlands. The country
hosts over 20 million square metres of distribution centres.
•The Netherlands has the third cooling and freezing storage
capacity in the EU.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 67
Water Sector
World leaders in hydraulic engineering, water treatment and
shipbuilding
•The Dutch are renowned for their integrated water management
and multi-disciplinary approach that balances social, economic,
environmental and engineering needs (‘Building with Nature’).
Dutch companies are involved in the sustainable development of
low-lying urban agglomerations such as Jakarta and Bangladesh,
and coastal development in areas such as Dubai, Vietnam and
Romania.
•40% of the freely accessible market for water management is in
Dutch hands.
•The Dutch Delta Works are listed in the Guinness Book of Records
as the largest flood defence project in the world. With almost
16,500 kilometres of dykes and 300 structures, the project is one
of the most extensive engineering projects in the world. The
Oosterscheldedam is the largest single tidal barrier in the world,
at 9km in length.
•The Dutch invest heavily in innovation and R&D through publicprivate partnerships. These include renowned institutes such as
Deltares, MARIN, Wetsus and KWR Watercycle Research Institute.
TNO and large Dutch private firms are also recognised for their
water R&D.
•In the field of water technology and maritime technology, the
Netherlands ranks 8th worldwide for global patents.
•The Dutch began using innovative waste water treatment
techniques in the 1970s. Some 99.9% of Dutch households have
access to clean, entirely chlorine-free drinking water. Additionally,
the level of recycling of industrial waste water is high, and this
recycled water is of such high quality that it can be used in the
food and beverage industries.
•The Dutch maritime cluster comprises 12 sub sectors and 12,000
companies, which employ 224,000 employees. The cluster has a
strong international focus: 60% of the seagoing ships produced in
the Netherlands are destined for export.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 69
6. Human Capital
and Innovation
Dutch products are ‘typically’ highly
innovative. The Netherlands provides
solutions to keep rising water levels in check,
create islands in the sea and make waterways
navigable. Apart from solutions for use in the
natural environment, the Dutch also have the
knowledge and the skills to develop products
such as navigation systems with worldwide
appeal (TomTom). This capacity to innovate is
evidenced by the large number of patents that
are applied for every year, and by the presence
of several world-renowned knowledge and
research institutes in the Netherlands.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
71
Well-educated
working population
Dutch schoolchildren
are second in the EU
Education level: upper secondary education (2012)
PISA Score
United States
89
Singapore
Sweden
88
Hong Kong,
China
Switzerland
86
South Korea
Germany
86
Japan
Finland
85
Taiwan
Austria
United Kingdom
78
Canada
Denmark
78
Netherlands
Ireland
73
Switzerland
Netherlands
73
Germany
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
543
540
535
529
522
519
518
515
Measured as PISA scores (points). OECD average = 500.
Source: OECD, 2013
80
90
The internationally-oriented working population of the Netherlands is well educated,
with many people able to speak more than one foreign language (European and their
languages - European Commission, 2014). According to the EF English Proficiency
Index 2014, the Netherlands ranks second out of 63 countries. In addition to English,
and in comparison with neighbouring countries, a good proportion of the population
also speak German and French. Besides, according to the OECD the Dutch labour
force is well equipped for the dynamic, fast changing IT-society of the 21e century
(OECD Skills Outlook 2013). In comparison to other OECD-countries the Dutch
employees have leading positions at literacy proficiency, numeracy proficiency and
proficiency in problem solving in technology-rich environments. Moreover, according
to the European Commission, the Netherlands has a world-class vocational education
and training (VET) system, with built-in mechanisms to adapt to current and future
skills needs so that training is more demand-driven. Furthermore, compared to many
other EU member states, life-long learning is commonplace in the Netherlands:
adults regularly engage in further education in order to continually improve their
skills and knowledge levels.
72 HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION
554
Finland
83
Measured as percentage of population (25-64 years old)
that has attained upper secondary education.
Source: OECD, 2014.
555
500
510
520
530
540
550
Dutch schoolchildren achieve good scores in the OECD Programme for International
Student Assessment (PISA): fifth place within the OECD and second in the EU. The
PISA survey is conducted every three years among 500,000 school pupils across 70
countries, and evaluates the capacity of 15-year-old schoolchildren to understand
and solve academic problems. Moreover, according to the OECD the Dutch labour
force is well equipped for the dynamic, fast changing IT-society of the 21e century. In
comparison to other OECD countries, Dutch employees have leading positions in
literacy proficiency, numeracy proficiency and proficiency in problem solving in
technology-rich environments.
HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION 73
Fourth most prosperous
country
Entrepreneurs create
dynamism
Human Development Index (2014)
Number of entrepreneurs (2009)
0.9440.971
Norway
0.933
Australia
0.917
Switzerland
0.915
Netherlands
0.914
United States
Germany
New Zealand
0.911
0.910
0.963
11.611.9
Netherlands
Belgium
11.411.5
EU-27
11.311.5
Ireland
9.9
11.4
United Kingdom
9.7
11.4
0.902
Germany
Singapore
0.901
Finland
Denmark
0.900
United States
14.4
1212.3
Canada
Canada
Source: United Nations Development Programme, 2014.
12.2
Australia
8.8
9.8
8.5 9.3
6.9
9.3
Measured as a percentage of the working population
Source: Statistics Netherlands, 2012.
,58 ,69 ,60 ,61 ,62 ,63 ,64 ,65 ,66 ,67 ,68 ,69 ,70 ,71
According to the UNDP, the Netherlands ranks 4th place worldwide with
regard to prosperity. In determining ‘prosperity’, the UNDP takes into
account a country’s GDP as well as other aspects of human well-being,
such as life expectancy, public health, literacy levels and educational
standards. Of the 186 countries listed in the UNDP index, the Netherlands
ranks 4th.
74 HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION
The Dutch have always been well known for their entrepreneurial spirit,
which is reflected in the country’s large number of entrepreneurs: 11.9%
of the Dutch working population is self-employed. The Dutch government
promotes start-ups because they create economic vitality and innovation
and because they challenge existing firms, giving them the incentive to
adapt and continue to innovate.
HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION 75
Worldwide innovation
index: fifth position
Most innovative countries (2014)
64.8
Switzerland
United Kingdom
62.4
Sweden
62.3
60.7
Finland
Netherlands
60.6
United States
60.1
59.2
Singapore
57.5
Denmark
56.9
Luxembourg
56.8
Hong Kong, China
Source: INSEAD, 2014.
4
4,1
4,2
4,3
4,4
4,5
4,6
4,7
4,8
4,9
The Netherlands scores well on the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2014. The GII ranks 143 countries on parameters such as ‘institutions’, ‘human
capacity’ and ‘business sophistication’, so as to arrive at a global innovation ranking for each country. The Netherlands scores particularly well on
parameters such as ‘knowledge diffusion’, ‘online creativity‘ and ‘creative
goods and services’.
According to the Innovation Union Scoreboard 2015 (IUS) the Netherlands
ranks fifth in the EU (European Commission/UNU-MERIT, 2015). The IUS
distinguishes between 3 main types of indicators (enablers, firm activities
and outputs) and 8 innovation dimensions (as human resources, research
systems, finance and support, intellectual assets), capturing in total 25
different indicators.
Source: Layar
76 HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION
Modest R&D
expenditure
Home-grown knowledge
multinationals
R&D expenditure (2013)
Top 10 innovative Dutch businesses (2014)
R&D expenditure (millions of euros)
3.21
Sweden
Denmark
2.73.05
Germany
2.94
2.7
3.7
France
1.8
Netherlands
1.8
Thales
Nederland
DAF Trucks
2.23
VDL Groep
1.98
1.7
United Kingdom
Synthon
1.63
1,5
119
717
107.5
884
83
874
Measured as a percentage of GDP
*= 2012
Source: Eurostat, 2015.
1
244.2
1486
NXP
Semiconductors
2.28
1.9
Belgium
249
1384
Royal DSM
2.81
2.0
United States*
742
4013
Philips
2.81
2.6
Austria
799.5
4263
ASML
3.32
Finland
R&D personnel (FTE)
2,0
2,5
3,0
3,5
3,8
Friesland
Campina
Rijk Zwaan
69.4
212
66
520
65
466
*Calculated by TW.
Source: Technisch Weekblad, 2015.
At 2.16% of GDP, Research & Development expenditure in the Netherlands
is modest from an international perspective (EU-average was 2.07% in
2012). However, this can partly be explained by the Dutch sector structure
because the services sector, which ‘naturally’ has a low R&D intensity,
accounts for a relatively large share of the Dutch economy. Public-private
partnerships in scientific research are a major factor, and the Netherlands
is ranked sixth worldwide in this area, according to the Netherlands
Observatory of Science and Technology (NOWT) (2008).
78 HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION
The Dutch economy has a broad and solid base. Leading multinationals
with worldwide operations such as AkzoNobel, ASML, DAF Trucks,
Heineken, NXP Semiconductors, Philips, Shell and Unilever have their
roots in the Netherlands. Dutch industry includes a large number of
innovative and knowledge-intensive companies that enjoy a sound
reputation the world over and that carry out a great deal of R&D
(including the aforementioned multinationals). In addition, there are also
many other global businesses that conduct R&D activities in the
Netherlands, such as Danone, Dow and Yakult.
HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION 79
Large base of knowledge
and research
A selection of knowledge and research institutes (2014)
Budget in millions of euros
Personnel in FTE
626.4
3028
TNO
140
550
ECN
Deltares
104
FOM
102
819
1019
74
NLR
TNO Organisation for Applied Scientific Research
ECN
Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands
Deltares
Institute for Deltatechnology
FOM
Foundation for the Fundamental Research on Matter
NLR
National Aerospace Laboratory
KNMI
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
MESA+
Institute for Nanotechnology
MARIN
Research Institute in Hydrodynamics and Nautical Research
J.M. Burgers- Research School for Fluid Mechanics
centrum
TI Food and Public private partnership for interdisciplinary research
Nutrition
in food and nutrition
643
59.1
347
KNMI
51
MESA +
Brainport Eindhoven Region is a top technology breeding ground for
innovation and home to world-class businesses, knowledge institutes and
research institutions. The five key target sectors are High Tech Systems &
Materials, Food, Automotive, Lifetec and Design. Brainport Eindhoven
Region is a powerful innovative player in a European and global context. It
accounts for a third of all Dutch private R&D expenditure, and is one of
Europe’s top three regions in terms of patent density. In 2011 the Intelligent
Community Forum declared Brainport the world’s smartest region. In 2012
Fortune magazine suggested that this region could be the new Silicon
Valley.
578
42.7
366
MARIN
30
60
J.M. Burgercentrum
28
177
TI Food and
Nutrition
Source: Technisch Weekblad Special R&D, april 2015.
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
Dutch universities score quite highly for teaching and research in a
number of international rankings (see: www.vsnu.nl). Wageningen
University (WUR), for example, is a global leader in green biotechnology,
and Leiden University leads the way in the biomedical life sciences (see
box). In addition, the Netherlands is also home to a significant number of
renowned knowledge and research institutes such as ECN and TNO, which
play an important role in the government-initiated public-private
innovation programmes.
80 HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION
Energy Valley is the energy cluster in the north of the Netherlands. The
Energy Valley Region is an incubation zone for clean, reliable and innovative
energy. The region is strategically positioned, centrally in the European gas
and power grid, and directly at the North sea with excellent harbour
facilities for transport of raw materials and offshore wind developments.
Companies, knowledge institutes and governments work closely together
to create a sustainable energy economy and new green jobs. Currently
there are over 3,000 companies en 22,500 employees in the Northern
energy cluster.
HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION 81
Dutch scientists
frequently cited
Refreshing business
approach
Citation impact (2009-2012)
Number of PCT-patent applications (2013)
1.63
Denmark
1.6
Netherlands
12,386
South Korea
Ireland
1.44
France
Finland
1.44
United Kingdom
1.42
Norway
17,927
Germany
1.49
United States
21,516
China
1.5
United Kingdom
43,918
Japan
1.56
Switzerland
57,239
United States
7,899
4,865
Switzerland
4,367
Sweden
1.37
Netherlands
4,198
Belgium
1.37
Sweden
3,960
Source: WTI2, 2015, data processing: Netherlands Enterprise Agency, 2015.
1,40
1,42
1,44
1,46
1,48
1,50
1,52
1,54
1,56
1,58
1,60
1,62
1,64
The citation impact score is a key indicator of scientific quality.
The score refers to the number of times a scientist is cited by other
scientists. These citations indicate how much they value each other’s
work. The global average citation impact score is ‘1’. Dutch scientists
are cited above the global average and claim third place in the world.
Furthermore, Dutch scientists score highly for joint publications, which is
evidence of the international significance of research taking place in the
Netherlands.
82 HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION
Source: World Intellectual Property Organisation, 2014.
75
85
95
105 115 125 135 145 155 165 175 185 195 205 210213
PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty)-patents are patent applications that are
registered with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). The
Netherlands is well represented in this area and is ranked ninth in the
world (fourth in the EU). Patents are in many cases the result of R&D
activities which, if successful, can lead to greater labour productivity and
an advantage over foreign competitors. This high score means that Dutch
industry is an attractive potential partner - one that is innovative, inviting
and stimulating.
HUMAN CAPITAL AND INNOVATION 83
7. Infrastructure
The Netherlands has a number of key logistics
hubs such as the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol
Airport, as well as a high penetration of broadband
Internet. This provides the country with a sound
physical infrastructure and consequently enables
it to be a top performer in terms of logistics.
Source: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
85
Navigable inland
waterways
Strong in
logistics
Quality of water transportation (2015)
Logistics performance index (2014)
Netherlands
9.36
Denmark
9.19
Singapore
8.67
UAE
8.50
Sweden
3.96
Norway
3.96
8.44
United States
Belgium
8.43
Japan
8,5
8,75
9
9,25
9,5
9,75
10
The Netherlands has a good physical infrastructure, with the world-class
(main)ports and the navigable inland waterway system being prime
examples. The extensive network of inland waterways has excellent
connections to the waterways in the rest of Europe. The Netherlands has
the best water transport infrastructure in the world. The country also has
an extensive road transport network and is second in the world as regards
road network density (IMD, 2015). According to IMD (2015), the Dutch
energy infrastructure also scores well, taking the fifth place overall.
86 INFRASTRUCTURE
3.92
3.91
Source: World Bank, 2014.
Harbours, canals, etc. Source: IMD, 2015.
8,25
3.95
Luxembourg
Sweden
8
4.00
Singapore
8.72
Norway
4.01
United Kingdom
8.76
Iceland
4.04
Belgium
8.82
Finland
4.05
Netherlands
8.98
Hong Kong, China
4.12
Germany
3,8
3,9
4,0
4,1
4,2
The Netherlands’ strong position in terms of logistics is due to the
favourable geographic location of the country, at the heart of Europe;
a sound infrastructure that includes the Port of Rotterdam, the Port of
Amsterdam, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol; and a sophisticated logistics
sector. This is reflected in the World Bank Logistics Performance Index
2014, where the Netherlands is ranked second. The Netherlands came out
on top in terms of the efficiency and effectiveness of its Customs and
other border procedures, the quality of its transport and IT infrastructure
for logistics, the ease of use and affordability of its shipping, and the level
of professionalism in the Dutch logistics industry.
INFRASTRUCTURE 87
Third-largest airport
in Europe
Largest port
in Europe
European airport traffic and transport (2014)
Trans-shipment of goods (2014)
9,743
Cargo transport x1,000 tonnes
Trans-shipment (in millions of tonnes)
Passenger transport x1,000 passengers
Containers (in millions of TEU)
Frankfurt am Main
Netherlands
2,051
Germany
444.7
Rotterdam
12.3
59,429
Paris Charles de Gaulle
Belgium
1,896
France
199
Antwerp
9
63,749
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Germany
1,633
Netherlands
Hamburg
145.7
9.7
54,941
London Heathrow
United Kingdom
1,499
Source: Port of Rotterdam, 2015.
73,375
Source: Schiphol Group, 2015.
In 2014 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol was Europe’s fifth-largest airport in terms of
passenger numbers and third in cargo volumes. In 2014 the Airport was welcoming
55 million passengers and processing 1.6 million tonnes of cargo. A total of 99
airlines offer direct flights from Schiphol to 323 destinations. This makes
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol one of the four most important Main Ports (or hubs) in
Europe. It is also one of the two European home bases of Air France-KLM and the
SkyTeam alliance. In addition, Schiphol is an important contributor to the regional
economy, providing direct employment for around 65,000 people at the airport. The
contribution to the national economy amounts to about 26 billion Euros, and a total
of 290,000 jobs nationwide. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is part of Schiphol Group,
an airport company active in the Netherlands and abroad. Schiphol is also
renowned for its inspiring facilities for passengers and innovative technical
solutions such as the extensive baggage handling system. The airport has won over
200 national and international awards since 1980. Recently, Schiphol was awarded
for example Best Airport Western Europe 2014 (SKYTRAX), Best Airport 2012 (ACI
Europe), Best Airport for Business Travellers 2013 (Business Traveller), Best Air
Cargo Terminal Operator Europe and Cargo Airport Europe, Cargonews Asia 2012
and Best Airport in the world in Social Media, Simplifying Awards for Excellence
2013. Schiphol is home to a museum which is the first of its kind in the world and
features exhibits that include paintings by Dutch masters from the Golden Age. It is
also the first airport in the world with a library and an airport park.
88 INFRASTRUCTURE
The port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe. The trans-shipment in
Rotterdam added up to 444.7 million tons in 2014. The number of containers
handled increased tot 12.3 million TEUs in 2014. In terms of total weight of goods
trans-shipment, Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe. Businesses often choose
to locate in-and-around the Port of Rotterdam because of its strategic location in
north-west Europe, depth of its harbours, the many port facilities, and its excellent
transport links with the hinterland. An entirely new freight railway route, the
Betuwe Line, opened a few years ago, connecting the Port of Rotterdam with the
German Ruhr valley. Many companies from America and Asia use Rotterdam as a
base for the distribution of their goods throughout Europe. A significant number of
large European distribution centres are located in the immediate vicinity of the
container terminals, and these ensure that products can be dispatched efficiently
to anywhere on the contingent or to overseas destinations, such as the United
Kingdom, Scandinavia and the Baltic region. The combined activities of the port
account for about 5% of GDP. In other words, five cents out of every euro are earned
in the port. More than 90,000 people work directly for the Port of Rotterdam. Work
on the ‘Maasvlakte 2’ project is almost completed. This historic land reclamation
project has expanded the area of the Port of Rotterdam by 2,000 hectares (20%).
Maasvlakte 2 provides Rotterdam with an excellent springboard for the future.
Other Dutch ports are located near Rotterdam in the so called Drechtsteden
including Zwijndrecht and Dordrecht, Terneuzen/Vlissingen, Amsterdam, IJmuiden,
and Moerdijk. Some small ports are situated in Delfzijl, Den Helder, Harlingen and
Eemshaven.
INFRASTRUCTURE 89
8. Government
The complex of buildings known as the ‘Binnenhof’
[‘Inner Court’] in The Hague is the seat of the Dutch
government, which enjoys a good international
reputation and functions effectively.
The Netherlands is one of the most stable nations
in the world with a competitive fiscal climate.
Besides, government finances are relatively healthy.
Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency
91
Effective
government
One of the least
corrupt countries
Government effectiveness (2013)
Corruption perception index (2014)
2.2
Finland
Singapore
2.1
Denmark
9.4 92.0
Denmark
9.3 91.0
New Zealand
2.0
Finland
9.289.0
Norway
1.9
Sweden
87.0
9.2
Switzerland
1.9
Norway
9.086.0
8.986.0
Canada
1.8
Switzerland
Netherlands
1.8
Singapore
8.9
84.0
Sweden
1.8
Netherlands
8,7
83.0
Liechtenstein
1.7
Luxembourg
8.7
82.0
New Zealand
1.7
Canada
8.7
81.0
Source: World Bank, 2015.
75
85
90
1
2
3
Source: Transparency International, 2014.
4
5
6
7
8
9
100
1
2 213
According to the World Bank, the government of the Netherlands is
one of the most effective in the world, thus making it easier for
companies to make medium and long-term decisions.
The figures for government effectiveness capture the perceptions of the
quality of public services; the quality of the civil service and the degree
of its independence from political pressures; the quality of policy
formulation and implementation; and the credibility of the
government’s commitment to such policies.
92 GOVERNMENT
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
According to the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index,
levels of corruption and nepotism in the Netherlands are among the
lowest anywhere in the world. Among the aspects of corruption that were
examined were the degree to which people in authority - such as Customs
officers, police officers, politicians, judges and other officials – misuse
their position for personal gain (financial or otherwise). IMD (2014) also
concludes that bribery and corruption are rare in the Netherlands: the
country ranks sixth worldwide.
GOVERNMENT 93
Moderate level of
government debt
Competitive
taxation climate
Corporate tax rate on profit 2015 (%)
National debt as a percentage of GDP (2014)
23.6
Luxembourg
Finland
43.9
Sweden
84.5
Austria
89.4
United Kingdom
91.9
Euro area
95
France
Source: Eurostat, 2015.
10
20
30
23.5
Austria
25.0
Netherlands
25.0
Luxembourg
29.2
Germany
30.2
Source: IMD, 2015.
40
50
60
70
80
90
The Netherlands was able to dramatically reduce its level of government
debt in the years preceding the global economic crisis thanks to a stable
economy and a reasonably stringent fiscal policy. In 2008, there was even a
budget surplus for the third consecutive year. Dutch government debt as a
percentage of GDP was higher than the EMU standard of 60% in 2014
(67.9%), but it was still well below the average for the Euro zone (91.9%).
According to the CPB – Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis –
the budget deficit will amount to 2.1% of GDP in 2015 and 1.4% in 2016. The
government debt will amount to 66.4% of GDP in 2015 (EMU-definition) and
64.5% in 2016 (CPB-forecast, September 2015).
94 GOVERNMENT
22.0
Denmark
74.7
Germany
21.2
Sweden
68.8
Netherlands
21.0
Switzerland
59.3
Finland
20.0
United Kingdom
45.2
Denmark
0
12.5
Ireland
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
79
The corporate income tax rate is 20% on the first 200,000 euros and 25% for
taxable profits exceeding 200,000 euros which is well below the EU
national average. Furthermore, companies can benefit from an effective
tax rate of only 5% for R&D income from self-developed, patented,
intangible assets and also from self-developed, unpatented, intangible
assets which qualify for the WBSO subsidy. Other features of the Dutch tax
system include a wide tax treaty network - the participation exemption which states that all benefits related to a qualifying shareholding are
exempt from Dutch corporate income tax, and, finally, a 30% tax-break for
highly qualified foreign employees.
GOVERNMENT 95
Explanatory notes regarding this publication
Sources
This publication is intended to provide a concise and representative
picture of the state of the Dutch economy. Every attempt has been
made to carefully and judiciously select indicators from internationally
renowned and reliable sources. In the case of most of the indicators,
the Dutch economy has been compared with surrounding countries and
the United States, many of which are similar in terms of their economic
structures. Comparisons have also been made in a number of cases
with other countries, such as with various worldwide rankings.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
www.schipholgroup.nl
OECD
www.oecd.org
The Conference Board
www.conference-board.org
Port of Rotterdam Authority
www.portofrotterdam.com
Economist Intelligence Unit
www.eiu.com
Social and Cultural Planning
Office of the Netherlands
www.scp.nl
European Commission
www.ec.europa.eu
Eurostat
www.epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu
IMD
www.imd.ch
IMF
www.imf.org
INSEAD
www.globalinnovationindex.org
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
www.government.nl/ministries/bz
Netherlands Bureau for
Economic Policy Analysis
www.cpb.nl
The Netherlands Observatory
of Science and Technology
www.nowt.nl
The Netherlands Organisation
for Applied Scientific Research
www.tno.nl
96
Statistics Netherlands
www.cbs.nl
Technisch Weekblad
www.technischweekblad.nl
Transparency International
www.transparency.org
UNCTAD
www.unctad.org
United Nations
http://comtrade.un.org/
United Nations Development
Programme
www.hdr.undp.org
World Bank
www.worldbank.org
World Economic Forum
www.weforum.org
World Trade Organization
www.wto.org
97
Other sources of information
More detailed information is available on the websites below,
almost all of which include sections in English.
Information regarding innovation
Benelux Office for
Intellectual Property
www.boip.int
Netherlands Patent Office
www.agentschapnl.nl/
octrooicentrum
Statistics Netherlands
www.cbs.nl
Netherlands Enterprise Agency
www.rvo.nl/innovatie
Ministry of Economic Affairs
www.government.nl/ministries/ez
Trendwatchers for
Innovation and Technology
www.rvo.nl/en/nost
Information regarding the labour market and higher education
http://www.studyinholland.nl/
Statistics Netherlands
www.cbs.nl
Netherlands Bureau for
Economic Policy Analysis
www.cpb.nl
Information regarding enterprise (including internationally),
investing and partnerships in the Netherlands
Ministry of Economic Affairs
www.government.nl/ministries/ez
Ministry of Finance
www.government.nl/ministries/fin
Netherlands Foreign
Investment Agency
www.nfia.nl
Statistics Netherlands
www.cbs.nl
Netherlands Enterprise Agency,
focus on sustainability,
innovation and international
www.hollandtradeand­invest.com
www.rvo.nl
Chambers of Commerce
www.kvk.nl
Association of Universities
in the Netherlands
www.vsnu.nl
Netherlands Organization
for International Cooperation
in Higher Education
www.nuffic.nl
Ministry of Social Affairs
and Employment
www.government.nl/ministries/szw
General information about the Netherlands
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
www.government.nl/ministries/bz
98
Statistics Netherlands
www.cbs.nl
99
Information regarding Top Sectors
Food Tech Holland
www.foodtechholland.nl
Dutch Federation of
Agriculture and Horticulture
(LTO)
www.lto.nl
Association of the Dutch
Chemical Industry
www.vnci.nl
Dutch Design Fashion
Architecture Programme
(DFA)
www.dutchdfa.com
Dutch export platform for
Dutch clean tech companies
www.cleantechholland.nl
100
Energy Research Centre of
the Netherlands
www.ecn.nl
Association of Suppliers of
Environmental Technology
www.vlm.fme.nl
Holland High Tech Sector
www.hollandhightech.nl
Plantum (Dutch Association
for Plant Propagation
Material)
www.plantum.nl
Dutch Flower Auction
www.floraholland.com
Greenport Holland (Dutch
Horticultural Association)
www.greenportholland.com
(Dutch only)
Life Sciences and Health
Sector
www.lifescienceshealth.com
Holland International
Distribution Council
www.hidc.nl
Port of Rotterdam
www.portofrotterdam.com
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
www.schipholgroup.com
Dutch Water Sector
www.dutchwatersector.com
Wetsus, Dutch Centre of
Excellence for Sustainable
Water Technology
www.wetsus.nl
Holland Shipbuilding
Association
www.hme.nl
The Association of Dutch
Suppliers in the Oil and Gas
Industry (IRO)
www.iro.nl and www.iro-noc.nl
101
Imprint 2016 Edition
This publication, Holland Compared Winter 2016, is published by the
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For further information please contact
the Dutch embassy, consulate or Netherlands Business Support Office in
your area, or visit www.hollandtradeandinvest.com to learn even more
about Dutch commerce.
Editor-in-Chief
Hielke Venema
Economic editor
Ron Hogenboom
Gea Blok (assistant)
English language editor
Jacqueline Meeuwisse
Editorial address
Holland Compared
Netherlands Enterprise Agency
Intelligence Unit
P.O. Box 20105
2500 EC The Hague
The Netherlands
Coordination
Elles van Egmond
Copyright
Articles may be reprinted or reproduced only with acknowledgement
of the source: Source: Holland Compared 2016
No rights may be derived from the contents of this publication.
Photo front, source: Peter Hilz
Source: Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland B.V.
102
Source: Energising the Future
In the first half of 2016 the
Netherlands holds the
Presidency of the European
Union for the 12th time.
hollandtradeandinvest.com
106