One percent of companies in the Netherlands are foreign-owned. These companies contribute disproportionately to the Dutch economy, however.

They employ nearly 17 percent of all employees and generate 32 percent of total private sector turnover. ‘Foreign’ companies account for a relatively large share of turnover in the manufacturing industry, according to the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics.

Nearly 17 percent of employees in the Netherlands are employed by a foreign-controlled company. Just over 6 percent work for companies under non-EU control.

Foreign-controlled companies accounted for nearly 32 percent of private sector turnover in the Netherlands in 2008. Companies controlled by EU countries accounted for just about as much as those controlled by non-EU countries. Companies under US control accounted for the largest share of turnover: 11 percent.

The share of turnover accounted for by foreign-owned companies differs between sectors of industry. It is largest in the manufacturing industry, where 46 percent of turnover was generated by foreign-controlled companies. US-controlled companies accounted for 20 percent of this. In transport, storage and communication, foreign-controlled companies accounted for 35 percent of turnover, with companies in French and German hands generating 11 and 7 percent respectively. In the construction sector, hardly any turnover was generated by foreign companies.

Source: CBS

Dutch children have been rated the most fortunate children in Europe. Their parents go out of their way to please them, and teachers expect less of them than some of their European counterparts.

The German researchers studied children in 21 industrialised countries on the basis of six criteria: material wealth, health, education, relationships, safety and their own feelings of luck. The Netherlands has come top of a league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries.

Swedish and Finnish children were in second and third place. American children were bottom of the list where boys and girls are the most negative about their current situation and future possibilities.

Surveys by Britain’s Child Poverty Action Group, Unicef International and the World Health Organisation have all reached similar conclusions about Dutch children.

This is the second time Dutch children ranked happiest in Europe.

The happiest children
1 Netherlands
2 Sweden
3 Finland
4 Norway
5 Spain
6 Switzerland
7 Denmark
8 Germany
9 Belgium
10 Poland
11 Ireland
12 Czech Republic
13 Portugal
14 Austria
15 France
16 Italy
17 Canada
18 Greece
19 Hungary
20 Great Britain
21 United States

Source: Unicef

The Netherlands ranks best in security and freedom, infrastructure and health.

The evaluation is based on the cost of living, cultural and entertainment offerings, the environment and climate, safety, health, infrastructure and economic situation.

France is the first for the fifth consecutive time and receives a score of 82 points out of 100. “La Douce France ‘is praised for his” bon-vivant’ lifestyle, good health and the enormous diversity of the different regions.

Live in Australia it is good because of the pleasant climate, cities for all tastes, and a strong economy. Switzerland is number three and owes its place among others, its neutrality and the extensive internationalization.

The top 10 is rounded out by Germany, New Zealand, Luxembourg, the United States, Belgium, Canada and Italy.

Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Chad, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia are on the bottom of the list.

The figures emerge from a study by Utrecht University commissioned by the television documentary programme Zembla. The team behind the study was headed by tax law professor Geerten Michielse, who also works for the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. He told RNW that the United States was right to describe the Netherlands as a tax haven in May this year – an assertion which the White House subsequently withdrew following Dutch finance ministry protests.

Multinationals such as Boeing, US Steel and Walt Disney all have Dutch letter-box companies to avoid paying tax in the United States. On paper, US companies make 13 percent of their profits in the Netherlands. The study found that while multinationals are officially liable to pay 25.5 percent in corporate tax, in reality loopholes in the tax law allow them to get away with paying no more than six or seven percent.

Tax officials have discussed the problem several times, but up to now have not intervened. The fear that Dutch multinationals with higher tax burden shift to other countries is unjustified. As long as profits are taxed, companies will come up with new constructions for profit tax evasion.

source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Photo by: Andrew

Norway retains the number one spot in the annual United Nations human development index while China made the biggest strides in improving the well-being of its citizens.

The index compiled by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) ranks 182 countries based on such criteria as life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.

Norway, Australia, Iceland, Canada and Ireland take the first five spots while Niger ranks at the very bottom, just below Afghanistan.

The UNDP said the index highlights the grave disparities between rich and poor countries.

This year’s index was based on data from 2007 and does not take into account the impact of the global economic crisis.

“Many countries have experienced setbacks over recent decades, in the face of economic downturns, conflict-related crises and the HIV and AIDS epidemic,” said the UN development report’s author Jeni Klugman.

“And this was even before the impact of the current global financial crisis was felt.”

The top ten countries listed on the index are: Norway, Australia, Iceland, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Switzerland and Japan.

The United States ranks 13th, down one spot from 2008.

source: AFP / Expatica

The Lost Symbol was sold more than one million times in the first few days according to the publisher.

Bookstores and online stores such as Amazon.com told that they have never sold so many copies of a book on the day after publication.

The Lost Symbol is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown’s No. 1 international phenomenon with 81 million copies in print worldwide and the UK’s biggest selling paperback novel of all time, and it will once again feature Dan Brown’s unforgettable protagonist, Robert Langdon.

This book’s narrative takes place in a 12-hour period, and from the first page, Dan’s readers will feel the thrill of discovery as they follow Robert Langdon through a masterful and unexpected new landscape.

The Lost Symbol is a brilliant and compelling thriller. Dan Brown’s prodigious talent for storytelling, infused with history, codes and intrigue, is on full display in this new book.

‘This novel has been a strange and wonderful journey’, says Dan Brown himself. ‘Weaving five years of research into the story’s 12-hour timeframe was an exhilarating challenge. Robert Langdon’s life clearly moves a lot faster than mine’.

Read our review of The Lost Symbol on the site.

The bestseller The Da Vinci Code sold 81 million copies worldwide since 2003, and in the Netherlands more than 1.3 million.

Other books of Dan Brown are Angels and Demons, Digital Fortress and Deception Point.

The Lost Symbol is available at your local book store.

Do you like to read books? We’re giving away 3 copies of “The Devil’s Garden” book to 3 lucky commenters. Click here and write something nice in the comments of the post, winners will be contacted via email.

Netherlands ranks fifth of countries where technology companies are growing and developing properly. The highest position is still by far taken by the United States. Then follow the Finland, Sweden and Canada.

The Strengths of the Netherlands are the IT infrastructure and opportunities for research and development, says researcher Denis McCauley, EIU. Strong investments are being made in hardware and software and companies are obtaining many new patents.

“The Netherlands has the conditions to create an IT powerhouse.”

Last year the Netherlands was still in the tenth spot on the ranking of the EIU. The higher position this year is mainly due to a better estimate of the number of technology patents.