>>Guide to Doing Business in the Netherlands 2010 Contents 1. Introduction to Houthoff Buruma ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 2. The Country at a Glance ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 2.1 The Netherlands ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Diplomatic relations / European Union ...................................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Dutch government ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 2.4 Legal system ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 2.5 Enforcement of foreign judgments ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 3. Business Structures ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.1 General ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 3.2 BV ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 3.2.1 Share capital ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 3.2.2 Directors ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 3.2.3 Supervisory board ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.4 Shareholders ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 3.3 NV ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 26 3.4 SE .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 3.5 Cooperative ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27 3.6 Foundation .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 28 3.7 Partnership ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.8 Joint venture ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 29 3.9 Branch & representative office ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 3.10 Sole proprietorship ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 3.11 Trust and other fiduciary entities .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 Contents 3 6. Investment Incentives ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 51 6.1 General ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 51 6.2 Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency .............................................................................................................................................................. 51 6.3 Bilateral investment treaties ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 52 6.4 Export financing and insurance .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 52 6.5 Grants, subsidies and funding ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 55 6.6 Employment-related incentives .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 57 4. Operating a Business .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31 6.7 Research and development incentives ....................................................................................................................................................................... 57 4.1 General ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 6.8 Tax incentives ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 58 4.2 Agency and distribution contracts ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 4.3 Commercial contracts .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................