Amsterdam in Top 5 of European Business Cities

DutchAmsterdam.nl — Amsterdam has climbed two places in the European Cities Monitor, Cushman & Wakefield’s survey on Europe’s major business cities.

In this year’s survey it is ranked in fourth place.

The annual survey, published by the real estate company since 1990, provides an overview of the perceptions that corporations have about cities across Europe and their relative attractiveness, and how perceptions have changed over time.

The survey is conducted among executives at 500 of the largest companies spread across nine European countries. They are asked to rate cities according to 12 factors, including

• the ease of access to markets, customers or clients
• Availability of qualified staff
• Transport links with other cities and internationally
• Availability of office space
• The climate governments create for business through tax policies or financial incentives
• The quality of life for employees

In its survey report the firm says that

London is still ranked – by some distance from its closest competitors – as the leading city in which to do business. Paris and Frankfurt remain in second and third place respectively, although the gap between the two has widened.

Amsterdam continued the upward momentum seen last year, again moving up the rankings to take fourth place, with Brussels dropping four places to 8th.

The top five is completed by Berlin, which has pushed Barcelona into 6th place on the ranking. [1]

Amsterdam’s advancement on the list is partially due to the city’s improved recognition as a business location, but also because some cities — including Brussels and Barcelona — lost points in several areas.

Among other things Amsterdam scored well for its standard of living, the reduction of environmental pollution, and number of languages spoken.

In terms of value for money of office space Amsterdam slipped from 18th place last year (shared with Frankfurt) to 23 in the current report.

When it comes to easy of internal transport the city went from 8th place to 12th, shared with Geneva. This is no doubt due to Amsterdam’s many construction projects — including the much-delayed work on the North-South subway line.

Footnotes
[1] European Cities Monitor 2011