Attractive sectors for foreign investment in the Netherlands

The preferential tax policy and favorable financial environment are the main reasons why the Netherlands can attract foreign investment.

The Netherlands was ranked 4th in Best Countries for Business (by Forbes, 2020) with its preferential tax policy and favorable financial environment. In this article, CorpAgent – a corporate service provider – would like to introduce to readers some key sectors that most attract FDI in the Netherlands.

Information technology (IT)

The Netherlands is one of the pioneering countries in IT. Most people in the Netherlands are very excited about new technologies and digital applications. The Netherlands is a promising land for IT companies, from startups to big corporations. Typically, big technology corporations such as Microsoft, Google, Oracle, IBM and NTT are all headquartered in the Netherlands.

In addition, the Netherlands has high-quality digital infrastructure, combined with preferable policies by the Government to attract foreign investment, making the country an ideal place for Vietnamese startups to flourish.

The IT sector in the Netherlands also has connections with other sectors, for example: smart agriculture, health and medical sector, digital banking, digital marketing, and e-commerce. The final goal is to build a sustainable economy and maximize the potential development in all industries.

Life Sciences & Health

The higher life standards, together with the impact of the Covid pandemic, have led to an increasing demand for healthcare in developed countries. In the Netherlands, the life sciences and health industry is the runner-up of attracting FDI after the IT sector.

The Dutch government published many policies to attract foreign investment into this sector. As a result, it is now a center for the medical technology and life sciences with more than 3000 companies and research institutions operating in the life sciences & health industry, including big multinational companies like MSD, GlaxoSmithKline, Amgen, Medtronic, Genmab and Astellas.

Transportation and Logistics

The Netherlands has a great advantage in transportation as it is known as a central hub with Rotterdam Port, and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, connecting the entire European market. National infrastructure is developed synchronously, including sea/air transportation, railway, road and waterway, which are connected across the country.

In 2020, the transportation and logistics sector is one of the top industries attracting foreign investment in the Netherlands.

According to statistics, about 60% of goods imported from Vietnam to Europe are imported through Rotterdam Port. Thanks to the vigorous digital transformation, the transportation and logistics infrastructure are constantly updated and improved, which makes freight shipping become faster and more efficient. This sector contains many unexplored business opportunities for Vietnamese startups in the Netherlands.

Agrifood

Agriculture is one of the most traditional sectors in the Netherlands. The Netherlands has many favorable factors for agricultural development, e.g. mild climate, mechanized agriculture, advanced technology, and a nice geographical position. These factors have helped the Dutch economy rank 2nd worldwide in exporting agrifood after the USA, as well as attracting foreign investment.

Agriculture and agrifood in the Netherlands are very diverse, including animal husbandry and farming. The Dutch agrifood focuses on the safety of food sources and environment protection. When setting up a company in the Netherlands in this sector, Vietnamese businesses can learn more about professionalism, food processing technology, logistics, digital application in production, etc.