The highest ranked European country in the study for NECI scores (5.9), the Netherlands continues to attract business talent from across the EU and beyond.

The Dutch economy was one of just three that managed to achieve 5.0 or more across all 13 Framework Conditions, along with two other countries on this list. However, decreases were seen in 11 conditions compared to 2021, as its general score fell from 6.3. The largest falls in Framework Condition scores were for Physical Infrastructure, Government Policy: Taxes and Bureaucracy, and Entrepreneurial Education at School.

The Netherlands was found to host a TEA rate of 12.5 per cent. Less than a quarter of adults reported a fall in household income in 2022 due to the pandemic – a relatively low level even among Level A economies – and over half of Dutch adults knew a new entrepreneur, with an even larger proportion (61.6 per cent) seeing good opportunities to start a business locally.