The Netherlands Posts 2010 Foreign Direct Investment Results

- North America Represents Nearly One-Third of Worldwide Projects -

News provided by

Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency

Mar 16, 2011, 02:16 ET

NEW YORK, March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite a slow-paced worldwide economic recovery in 2010, the Netherlands recorded comparable foreign direct investment (FDI) results to the previous year's activity. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) supported the attraction of 155 foreign investment projects (same as 2009), representing 3,793 jobs and planned investment of $1.33 billion.

While more than half of the projects originated in Asia, North America recorded 32 percent of the total. The United States still ranked as the leading single-country investor overall with 42 projects, of which 22 were initial establishments of companies in the Netherlands. North America's 49 projects brought in 1,671 jobs and a planned investment of nearly $669 million.

The Netherlands is currently home to 1750 North American companies.

"Positioning of the Netherlands as a business location, managing relations with existing investors, advising potential investors and monitoring the investment climate -- all these activities together have led to the positive results we recorded in 2010," said Hans Bakker, Executive Director, NFIA North America. "New foreign investments contribute to economic growth, they create direct and indirect jobs and they connect the Netherlands to the global economy. Furthermore, they are an incentive for our country's innovation power."

The greatest percentage (nearly 40%) of worldwide projects was related to marketing and sales activities. One notable trend was that the share of international headquarters projects almost doubled (to 17%). In North America, a total of 11 international headquarters projects were confirmed and European distribution centers scored the most activity with 15 projects.

Worldwide, the ICT sector, like 2009, led the way with the highest number of projects and investment amount. The chemical sector provided the most jobs.

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (www.nfia.com) facilitates direct investments of foreign companies in the Netherlands through its network of 19 offices in the United States, China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, India, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and the United Kingdom. In its 33 years, the NFIA has supported more than 2,600 companies from 42 countries in the setting up and/or expansion of their international activities in the Netherlands.

The NFIA is an operational unit of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. As a government agency, the NFIA provides information and practical assistance free of charge. All its services are provided on a confidential basis. These include providing insight and data with regard to site selection and logistics strategies; intensive, personal guidance on such matters as available incentives, permit procedures and tax structures.

The NFIA has U.S. offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York City and San Francisco.

This material is distributed by Aloysius Butler & Clark, on behalf of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency.

Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

SOURCE Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency