The Maastricht Region is a city surrounded by superb countryside. The city has a wide variety of employment activity. Three technology campuses are pioneers in innovation.

Avantis (Parkstad) specializes in high-tech new energy facilities and cross-border clinical facilities are on the horizon. The Chemelot R&D Campus (Sittard-Geleen) is a global leader in performance materials and biotech. This is the birthplace of Dyneema, the world’s strongest fiber. Finally, the projected Campus in Randwyck-Maastricht is producing major innovations in healthcare. Heavy industry, such as automotive manufacturing plant Nedcar and chemical company DSM are located close by too.

Jump to:

• Tax advantages
• Companies
• Infra
• Population
• regional economy and income
• Labour market and employment

Tax advantages

As an open economy, the Netherlands has always given priority to a transparent and stable tax system, flexible enough to anticipate the rapidly changing requirements of international economic flows. Moreover, tax agreements have been made with most of the world’s trading nations, which guarantee univocal treatment.

Companies established in the Netherlands profit from various tax advantages, including:

1) Competitive corporate tax rate of 25.5% well below the EU-average.

2) The Dutch ruling practice, as a result of which certainty in advance can be obtained on future transactions, investments or corporate structures.

3) Horizontal Supervision: the Dutch tax authority is the first in the world to make prior arrangements with large and medium-sized taxable businesses on the tax liabilities expected in the course of the year, and how they are going to manage them. When the resulting ‘Tax Framework’ satisfies the requirements of the inspector, then in principle no more fiscal controls are needed for the year in question.

4) Participation Exemption, meaning that all benefits relating to a qualifying shareholding (including cash dividends, dividends-in-kind, bonus shares, hidden profit distributions and capital gains), are exempt from Dutch corporate income tax.

5) Double taxation relief via the Royal Decree for the Avoidance of Double Taxation.

6) The Patent Box: an effective tax rate of 10% for income related to a patent obtained in respect of  selfdeveloped intangible assets (certain conditions apply).

7) Absence of withholding tax on outgoing interest and royalty payments.

8) No capital-tax levy on the contribution of capital to a company and any later expansion of share capital.

9) The 30% ruling for expats: tax-free reimbursement of 30% of an employee’s salary, provided that the employee has been recruited or assigned from abroad and has specific expertise which is scarce in the present Dutch labour market.

Companies

Economic growth is generated by a major academic/life-sciences hub linking Maastricht University, Maastricht University Medical Center and the technical universities of Aachen (20 kilometers away), Eindhoven and Louvain. Leading innovators at the medical and health care centers in Heerlen (Atrium), Sittard-Geleen (Orbis) and Maastricht (MUMC+) are working on the frontiers of modern medicine.
 
The Maastricht Region is home to the headquarters of various multinationals such as DSM, Sabic, Vodafone and APG (the Dutch public service pension fund, with invested assets of EUR 210 billion - one of the largest financial institutions in the world) and the worldwide call centers of DHL and Mercedes-Benz. Business tourism (conferences) and leisure in the broadest sense of the word (hospitality, recreation and wellness) are important economic drivers for the region.

Infra

The Maastricht Region is easy to get to by car, boat (inland waterway freight), and plane and has a well-developed public transport network. Traffic jams are almost nonexistent. There are four trains an hour between the four “districts”, and efforts are being made to increase the speed and frequency of service. The region has its own airport and is only an hour’s travel from the international airports of Brussels, Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn. Liège Airport is also near at hand. High-speed trains take passengers from Maastricht to Brussels in less than an hour, Amsterdam in 2.5 hours; Paris in under three hours and London in about four hours.

Population

Limburg has more than 1 million inhabitants, 55% of whom live in the conurbation in the southern part of the province. The population in the central and northern part is more scattered with 21% and 25% of the total population respectively.

Limburg has a multicultural population, with 45 different nationalities living together. More than 100,000 people are of foreign origin (9%). European citizens make up the majority of foreigners in Limburg with people from neighbouring Germany and Belgium being the front runners. Other major foreign communi- ties are Indonesian, Moroccan and Turkish. Limburg’s multicultural population is a significant advantage for companies doing business in a global economy.

Regional economy and income

Limburg’s economy has always been based on industry. In fact, in the 19th century, industrialisation in the Netherlands actually started in Maastricht. The late 1990s saw a rapid change towards a service-oriented economy with com- mercial services and healthcare being the main drivers. However Limburg is still the most industrialised province when employment is considered.

Economic growth in Limburg stagnated in the first years of this century. Because of its strong focus on exports, the world economic downturn hit the region severely. In 2004, the regional economy recovered and 2006 showed a strong increase in investments, export, consumption and employment.

Labour market and employment

The labour force in Limburg numbers almost 500,000 people. Between 2001 and 2005, it showed an annual growth of 1.5%, which was entirely caused by the increased participation of women.

The labour force in Limburg is well educated, with a high proportion of people who have completed higher education. The number of people at secondary education level is comparable to the national average.

Limburg: a key European logistic hub

With its highly developed logistic infrastructure, history as a logistic center and well below average corporate income tax, Limburg is the ideal logistical hub for North-Western Europe. Read more about Limburg as the logistic hub for Europe.

Maastricht and region most attractive business destination for conferences and events

The biennal research of the NBTC-NIPO Research claims that Maastricht has the best image as a city destination for organised business meetings. The Maastricht Convention Bureau is your best partner for such meetings. Maastricht and the Maastricht Region offer a large variety in types and atmosphere of venues that suit all needs and budgets. You can meet, dine, party or sleep in unique venues such as castles, caves, a conference centre and a large variety of hotels!

For further free information, advice, reservations or assist in organizing your event: Maastricht Convention Bureau.