(The Netherlands wants Gujarat entrepreneurs to come and locate in that country and avail of business opportunities. Mr. Robert Schipper, executive director of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) who was recently in Ahmedabad particularly invited pharmaceutical companies to explore investment prospects. The Netherlands is strategically located and can act as a key hub for international business with quick and easy access to all European markets, he emphasized. We therefore profile The Netherlands in this issue to highlight what it offers for Gujarat entrepreneurs. – The Editor)

The Netherlands is in Western Europe, bordering the North Sea and is located between Belgium and Germany. It is a prosperous and open economy, which is heavily dependent on foreign trade. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country has been one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the four largest investors in the US.

The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate inflation and plays an important role as a European transportation hub. Agro Industries, Metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, micro-electronics and fisheries are its major industries.

In 2008, the Netherlands revenue from exports totaled approximately USD 538 billion. The major export commodities are machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels and foodstuffs. It also imports machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing.

In 2007 its major export partners were Germany, Belgium, UK, France, Italy and USA in that order. India does not figure in this list. It imported goods worth USD 485 billion. The leading exports were Germany, China, Belgium, USA, Russia and France.

The Netherlands is undoubtedly the gateway to Europe. It has two world class ports in Amsterdam and Rotterdam and modern terminals in Ijmuiden, Terneuzen and Vlissingen.

The NFIA has helped hundreds of foreign companies initiate or expand operations in the Netherlands. In all more than 7000 foreign companies have established operations in the Netherlands. Among the many prominent international companies that have taken advantage of NFIA’s services as they located their operations in that country are Starbucks Coffee, Boeing, Eastern Chemical, Cisco Systems, Abbott Laboratories, Reebok and NCR Corporation. They also include European companies such as EMI, BOC group, Bosch.

Six key reasons make the Netherlands a very favourable investment destination. They are: 1. Strategic location in Europe 2. International business environment. 3. Superior logistics and technology infrastructure. 4. Highly educated, multilingual and flexible workforce. 5. Quality of life and 6. Favourable fiscal climate.

NFIA has assisted a large number of companies from Asia and the Middle East such as Teijin, Hitachi, BenQ, Samsung, Daewoo, LG Electronics, Sony Corporation and Saudi Aramco.

Gujarat pharma companies have huge growth opportunities in the Netherlands that can drive pharma research backed by its knowledge-intensive workforce