Netherlands important provider of high-tech services

The importance of the high-tech services sector as an employment generator in the Netherlands has grown in recent years, also in comparison to other EU countries. In the medium and high-tech industry, on the other hand, the role of the Netherlands has diminished. Altogether, the share of these two sectors as employment generators has decreased in 2007 relative to the period 2001-2005.

Sector high-tech services more important as a generator of employment

The share of the sector high-tech services in employment in the Netherlands was more than 4 percent in 2007, i.e. above the average in the EU 27. Within the group of reference countries, the Netherlands is outperformed only by Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom.

The Netherlands is also among the countries where the share of the sector high-tech services in employment has grown relative to the average over the period 2001-2005. In countries which serve as an example to the Netherlands, the share has remained stable (Sweden, Finland) or even decreased (Denmark, United Kingdom).

Employed persons in the sector high-tech services

Declining importance medium and high-tech industry

The share of the medium and high-tech industry in employment in the Netherlands was just over 3 percent in 2007. This is below the European average and the lowest rate within the group of reference countries. The Netherlands is also the only country where the share of the sector high-tech services in employment was higher in 2007 than the share of the medium and high-tech industry.

In most other countries, the share of the medium and high-tech industry in employment is declining, but notably in the Czech Republic and Hungary it has increased and the level is also higher compared to the other reference countries except Germany.

Employed persons in the medium and high-tech industry

Andries Kuipers