Kick-off session for AmCham's 2010 Investors' Agenda of Priority Points

 

hosted and moderated by Ernst & Young

On October 1 AmCham and Ernst & Young teamed up to fire the starting gun for AmCham's 2010 Investors' Agenda of Priority Points - the Chamber's policy proposals to the Netherlands Government to improve the investment climate. Some sixty members came to the Ernst & Young offices in Amsterdam to take stock of the present investment climate and to debate what measures can be taken to make the country more attractive for foreign investors. 

The competitive conditions that characterize a country's investment climate are forever in a state of flux - they need continuous honing to keep abreast of international developments in neighboring countries and, increasingly, countries further afield. Even - especially one may argue - in times of economic downturn, policy makers must keep searching for ways and means to make these conditions for business better - such as reducing red tape, encouraging entrepreneurial activity, investing in education and infrastructure.

The debate on policy issues to improve the Netherlands investment climate was divided into three workshops - corporate income taxation, human capital, and, accessibility, infrastructure & innovation. These workshops were led, respectively, by Eric Westerburgen, Harry Hofman and Jan Siemons – Ernst &Young partners with expertise in the policy areas discussed. Each workshop distilled the argumentation and input into three or four policy suggestions. These will be further debated in the AmCham's Policy Committee in the coming months before the Chamber's 2010 Priority Points are finalized.

Some of the policy suggestions put forward at the kick-off session are as follows:

Corporate Income Taxation

  1. Simplify interest deduction limitation rules and maintain interest deduction for unrelated debt.
  2. Improve 2004 Protocol to the US-NL Tax Treaty to match more beneficial subsequent tax treaties concluded by the US.
  3. Don't rock the boat!  A consistent, predictable tax system - combined with an efficient ruling/APA system - is essential for an attractive foreign investment climate.

Human Capital

  1. Facilitate diversity of the workforce, through for example more flexible working conditions.
  2. Make it attractive for foreign students, young professionals and knowledge migrants to come and stay in the Netherlands - allow, for example, longer periods of unemployment than the current 3 months before you lose the 30% expatriate tax facility. 
  3. Incentivize Dutch students and professionals to return to the Netherlands after a foreign tour, supporting our knowledge culture. 
  4. Create a welcoming and easy-to-settle environment for knowledge migrants and expats. For example, by streamlining procedures and offering better services by governmental and utility services.

Accessibility, Infrastructure & Innovation

  1. Increase focus on research & development.
  2. Develop a long term sustainable vision for connectivity with the rest of Europe. 
  3. More execution - streamline permitting and planning procedures for new infrastructural projects to shorten time from planning to realization.