Amsterdam Area acts as a magnet for firms from India
The Amsterdam Metropolitan Area attracts an increasing number of Indian firms to the area. Media coverage in the local Indian newspaper, The Hindu Business Line, acknowledges the popularity of the Amsterdam Area with companies from India.
The Amsterdam Area’s key advantages
Indian companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys Technology Limited have set up their European and Benelux head offices in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.
According to the article, proximity to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the international character of Amsterdam, an English-speaking population and the attractive tax environment for companies and expats are the key advantages of the area.
The newspaper article highlights the need of many Tier 2 and Tier 3 companies from Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune for office space in the Amsterdam Area.“They realise that Amsterdam is closer to the European market than London," says Ms Jolanda van der Aart, head of the India desk at amsterdam inbusiness.
Helping expats from India feel at home
The outstanding quality of life in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area for Indian expatriates is a strong incentive for companies seeking to expand into the European market. The growing number of Indian expats in the Amsterdam Area creates the need for amsterdam inbusiness to further enhance their quality of life.
Here are some examples of how amsterdam inbusiness helps to make Indian expats feel at home:
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The Expatcenter is set up to help expatriates in the Amsterdam Area with government and expat-related issues.
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The annual amsterdam inbusiness cricket event, organised by amsterdam inbusiness for Indian companies in the Amsterdam area, takes place at the VRA cricket grounds in Amstelveen. It is a family event, free of charge for all expats from India.
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The Diwali festival, co-sponsored by amsterdam inbusiness, held in Amstelveen. The festival includes Indian dance music, cultural activities and Indian food and ends with spectacular fireworks. It was a huge success in 2009, with approximately 8000 Indian expats living in the Netherlands attending.
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amsterdam inbusiness assisted in the set-up of the Indian Expat Society (IES) which serves the needs and interests of the Indian expatriate community in the Netherlands.
Fiscal advantages
In addition to the quality of life the area has to offer expats from India, The Hindu Business Line also appreciates the competitive fiscal climate the Amsterdam area offers Indian expats. Companies established in the Netherlands profit from various tax advantages such as, a competitive corporate tax rate of 25 %, absence of withholding tax on outgoing interest and royalty payments and double taxation relief. A benefical tax-free exemption for expats reduces taxable income to 70 %.
Cost effective
A competitiveness benchmark for head office activities, done by Ernst & Young International Location Advisory Services, indicates that Amsterdam is a very cost effective city. Aggregated costs are lowest in Amsterdam, followed by Brussels and Dusseldorf. London has the highest costs according to the benchmark.
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