Netherlands

A founding member of the European Union, the OECD, and the World Trade Organization, the Netherlands is a small northwestern European country with a powerhouse economy on the global stage. With the most competitive economy in Europe and fourth in the world (according to the World Economic Forum), the country serves as an international hub connecting Western Europe with the rest of the globe through major ports and airports (e.g., Rotterdam and Amsterdam). Additionally, 95% of Europe’s major markets are within a 24-hour drive from these cities, and EU member states receive three-fourths of Dutch exports and provide one-half of the country’s imports.

The Netherlands has the 17th largest economy in the world in terms of GDP and is one of the world’s 10 leading exporters. It ranks first in Europe and second (after the US) worldwide in terms of agricultural exports, and other major industries include energy, chemical, trade, machinery, metallurgy, electrical goods and services, and tourism. Companies here benefit from government-sponsored incentives, a highly educated, multilingual workforce, and a forward-thinking mindset that embraces innovation, sustainability, and digitalization. The country ranks as the fourth best nation for innovators in the EU Innovation Scoreboard 2020 because of the public-private partnerships that produce future-thinking solutions in a vast number of fields, and the telecommunications system is highly advanced. With the country’s high internet and ecommerce penetration and a great infrastructure, the nation is a rising popular destination for retailers looking to expand their logistics, and in the Brexit aftermath, the Netherlands continues to be a top choice for foreign companies due to all the benefits above.