Thanks in large part to the recession that hit the Netherlands some two years ago, office space is widely available and prices can be negotiable. Although the sun is coming out from behind the clouds, there are still many businesses only too happy to find new clients—that is, this is a good time to start new relationships. The current centre-right government, while not exactly tearing down institutions to make the country more business-friendly, does seem to have a soft spot for business interests.

Whether you’re coming to Amsterdam for business or pleasure, the local airport, Schiphol, is one of the busiest in Europe and serves as a very handy gateway to other parts of Europe in the east, west, north and south. Additionally, a high-speed train line is scheduled to open in 2007 with a service to Paris via Brussels. The travel time, while not eclipsing air transport, will nevertheless give the airlines a run for their money. In addition to heightened speed, it offers customers departure and arrival in the city centres without long check-in queues.

Although Amsterdam is located toward the north of the European continent, most business centres, both on the continent and in Scandanavia, are located within a one-hour flight from Schiphol. Furthermore Brussels, the seat of the EU, is only two hours by train in one direction, and many of the commercial centres of Germany are just over two hours away in the other direction.

English is so widely and so well spoken in the Netherlands that visitors can be forgiven for thinking this is an English-speaking nation. Nevertheless, this is extremely handy when hiring people locally. Language is virtually a non-issue, so the focus can be placed on more important issues, such as business skills.

Amsterdam has two universities— Amsterdam University and the Amsterdam Free University—which can provide valuable research facilities in addition to well-educated potential employees.

And finally, there are indeed few cities in Europe that can prove quite as entertaining as Amsterdam, for potential clients or business partners, and at such a reasonable price. Paris may have more stars, London may be far bigger and Rome may be warmer, but none of these cities can offer the complete package of central location, English widely spoken, reasonable prices and wide-open entertainment that Amsterdam has to offer.