This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
As Britain's exit from the EU draws near, the Netherlands is emerging as a popular destination for companies seeking to avoid the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
According to Dutch officials, nearly 100 international companies have already relocated to the Netherlands, with a further 325 expressing interest in making the move.
British businesses are not the only ones showing interest, with companies from North America, Asia, and Australia also eyeing a shift to the Netherlands.
"The ongoing growing uncertainty in the United Kingdom, and the increasingly clearer possibility of a no deal, is causing major economic unrest for these companies," said Jeroen Nijland, chief of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA).
"That is why more and more companies are orienting themselves in the Netherlands as a potential new base in the European market," he added.
Some of the companies that have already made the move include financial data provider Bloomberg and the European headquarters of the Discovery channel.
These companies have created around 2,500 jobs and 310 million euros ($345 million) in investment, according to broadcaster NOS.
However, the Netherlands is not the only country competing for Brexit business, with France, Ireland, Germany, and Belgium also vying for a share of the spoils.
"The NFIA expects that the Brexit results will grow further in the coming months," it added.
"Brexit remains bad news for the Netherlands, but with Brexit more companies are going to choose our country in the coming years," the agency said.
Japanese electronics giants Sony and Panasonic have also announced plans to move their European headquarters to the Netherlands.
Additionally, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has relocated from London to Amsterdam, as it could not legally remain in a non-EU country.
Britain is set to leave the EU on October 31, with fears growing that it will crash out without a divorce deal, causing huge disruption to trade and transport ties.
