Utrecht Region continues to lead Europe’s most competitive regions The Utrecht Region has been one of Europe’s most competitive regions since the European Commission launched its Regional Competitive Index in 2010. In the latest ranking, Utrecht is in joint second place behind London, Top 10 regions making it yet again the most competitive region in mainland in EU Regional Competitiveness Europe. The index covers 263 regions throughout Europe and comprises 11 pillars focusing on different aspects of Index 2016 competitiveness. Those pillars are subdivided into three groups: Basic, Efficiency and Innovation. In total, 74 different indicators were assessed to compile the ranking. For a more detailed explanation about the pillars, see the last page. 4

1 London 6 Hovedstaden 100% 92.9% 6 7 Luxembourg 2 Utrecht Region 91.1% 1 97.6% 8 Île de France 2 5 2

Ranked equal 90.3% 10 7 2 Berkshire- 9 Oberbayern 8 9 Oxfordshire 89.7% 97.6% 10 Hampshire / 4 Stockholm Isle of Wight 97.2% 88.6% 5 Surrey, Sussex 93.9% 2 1 Theme: Basic Utrecht Region The Basic group represents the key drivers of all types of economies and includes five pillars: institutions, Institutions Macroeconomic Infrastructure Health Basic macroeconomic stability, infrastructure, health and Stability Education basic education. The Utrecht Region topped the list of 19 9 4 23 8 263 regions in the Basic group.

4 9 17 Stockholm 19 Oberbayern

6 2 93 1 14 39 6 51 39 7

6 1 32 Hovedstaden 47 London

18 3 124 58 4 59 23 3 16 10 Carola Wijdogen René van Stiphout, Director Corporate Sustainibility NS Country Leader Oracle The Netherlands Dutch National Railways 2 8 The big advantage of being in Utrecht is 42 Berkshire- Oxfordshire 58 Île de France Utrecht is the most central and best-connect- that a number of our customers have offices ed railway hub in the Netherlands. Every year here as well. It’s an attractive prospect to be 88 million travellers pass through Utrecht located in their neighbourhood. In addition, 39 23 2 14 10 130 18 1 16 17 Central Station, using trains powered 100% our employees live all over the country and by wind energy. Utrecht sets the standard in the Utrecht area is very central and easy to sustainable transportation services in Europe. get to.

5 10 69 Surrey, Sussex 71 Hampshire, Isle of Wight

Han Rekers 39 23 23 9 10 39 23 29 8 10 Managing Director Liebherr Nederland B.V.

If any one region is in the centre of the Netherlands and has unsurpassed international connections, it is the 7 Utrecht region. Take a map and point at the centre of 83 Luxembourg the country and you will find the city of Amersfoort.

Our clients really appreciate our central location and we 1 Overall ranking among all 263 regions never have to apologise for being too far away. 22 4 85 120 19 1 Ranking in this theme 1 2 Theme: Efficiency 1 London 2 Berkshire-Oxfordshire As a regional economy develops and advances, factors 10 71 1 15 24 5 relating to labour force skills and labour market 2 efficiency become more important. The Efficiency 2 group covers three pillars: lifelong learning, the job's market and market size. The Utrecht Region was second Utrecht Region in the list of 263 regions in the Efficiency group.

Lifelong Job Market Learning Market Size 9 12 7

4 5 4 Stockholm 4 Surrey, Sussex

Prof. Bert van der Zwaan Kees Rutten 2 3 69 25 47 4 Rector Magnificus, Utrecht University. Chairman Human Capital Agenda Chairman of the League of European Economic Board Utrecht, Research Universities board member ROC Midden Nederland 8 6 4 Île de France 7 Hovedstaden At Utrecht University, we feel it is our Attracting and retaining skilled professional responsibility to take a central position in for the new economy is a challenge for every our society. We deliver the best possible European region. In the Utrecht Region 30 66 2 1 24 109 educational programmes to our student businesses, local authorities and the science body and provide the most fertile breeding and educational system invest in people and grounds for ideas and personal development. in life-long learning. We will intensify this The university offers a state of the art aca- collaboration even more to improve the 10 9 demic environment for science, for example competitive edge of the Utrecht Region 8 Hampshire/ Isle of Wight 9 Oberbayern in the fields of life sciences and health. and create a future where everyone counts.

Bas de Reus 19 7 30 59 2 23 Managing Director, Fujitsu Nederland

I am very happy that Fujitsu is located in the Utrecht re- 7 gion. We want highly educated and skilled employees and 14 Luxembourg our office is so easy to reach by car and public transport they can live where ever they like. One of our customers 1 Overall ranking among all 263 regions once said the advantage of Fujitsu is that it is a global 28 1 111 1 Ranking in this theme company with a local touch, small enough to care and big enough to deliver. Being in Utrecht makes that possible. 7 10 Theme: Innovation 1 Luxembourg 1 Hampshire/ Isle of Wight The Innovation group covers the drivers of advanced 1 1 24 2 9 21 development in regional economies. It focuses on three pillars: technological readiness, business sophistication

2 4 and innovation. Utrecht Region was sixth on the list of 2 Berkshire-Oxfordshire 3 Stockholm 263 regions in the Innovation group, ahead of Munich and Paris. 2 8 3 27 17 69

6 5 4 Hovedstaden 5 Surrey, Sussex

29 32 1 2 3 23

2 6 Utrecht Region Inez Teunissen Sjoerd Wennekes Hub manager Startup Utrecht Co-founder of Active Cues Technology Business Innovation

Startup Utrecht is helping drive the region’s Utrecht Region provides us with the ideal economy by developing networks, initiatives international playground to validate, scale and 18 and strategies for the startup ecosystem. We market our products at tremendous speed. This 6 5 aim to reach for the sky and make the Utrecht gives us the competitive edge we need to deliver Region an even better hub for startups and as many moments of happiness as possible to innovation. dementia patients with our Magic Table. 1 9 6 London 11 Oberbayern

10 2 43 67 36 4

Ton Logtenberg CEO Merus B.V. 8 18 Île de France The world class life sciences ecosystem at Utrecht Science Park provides the best possible 1 Overall ranking among all 263 regions growth environment for our global business. 109 16 10 1 Ranking in this theme 2

Utrecht Region RCI Index, an explanation The Utrecht Region has been at the top of the Effiency European Commission’s competitive region The Regional Competitiveness Index is a Population aged 25-64 with a measurement based on 74 indicators divid- degree, access to universities, Lifelong school drop-out rate. ranking since it launched seven years ago. The most ed over 11 themes or pillars. These themes Learning competitive region in mainland Europe, Utrecht is are then divided into three groups: Basic, Employment rate, unemploy- Efficiency and Innovation. Utrecht is in ment rate, labour productivity, female unemployment, gender second only to London in the EU as a whole. the top 25 of each of the 11 pillars, a record balance in employment and matched by no other region, even among Job unemployment, population the other regions making up the top 10. Market aged 15-24 not in education and unemployed. 1 Here is an explanation of the 11 different Disposable income per capital, pillars that illustrates the wide scope of potential market size in GDP, Market population size. factors used to compile the index. Size Institutions Macroeconomic Infrastructure Stability Basic Basic Innovation 19 9 4 Criteria related to corruption, Availability of latest technolo- political stability, rule of law, gies, use of technology at a Institutions voice and accountability, crime corporate level, technology and police effectiveness transfer via direct foreign invest- Technology ment, companies buying and State deficit, government debt, selling online, companies with Macroeconomic national savings, government fixed broadband access. Health Basic Stability bond yields Education Employment and added value Accessibility by car and public in business services, employ- transport, passenger flights ment at companies with foreign 23 8 within 90 minutes, railway Business ownership, innovative SMEs Infrastructure density collaborating with others.

Life expectancy, infant mortality, Patent applications, size of the 2 road fatalities, cancer and heart creative class , employment in Health disease death rates, suicides tech, knowledge-intensive and related industries, academic The share in the school publications, R&D expenditure, population of low-achieving Innovation high-tech patents, medium and Lifelong Job Market Basic 15-year-olds in maths, reading high-tech exports, sales of new Learning Market Size Education and science. to market and new to firm pro- ducts as percentage of turnover.

9 12 7 MORE INFORMATION Efficiency

Amersfoort Business 6 Joost van Leur +31 6 55465706

[email protected] Technology Business Innovation www.amersfoortbusiness.com/en @AfoortBusiness 6 5 18 For more information go to www.utrechtregion.com/competition Innovation and download the EU rapport. © Copyright Utrecht Region