Fewer bankruptcy declarations in first six months of 2010

Over the first six months of 2010, the number of bankruptcy declarations dropped by 6.7 percent relative to the same period in 2009. The number of private individuals and one-man businesses declared bankrupt declined by 5 percent and the number of companies and institutions declared bankrupt declined by 7.5 percent relative to one year previously. Altogether, nearly 1.8 thousand private individuals and one-man businesses and more than 3.2 thousand companies and institutions went bankrupt.

Bankruptcies

More bankruptcies in construction and agriculture

The number of bankruptcies declined in most sectors. In the sector trade and repairs and in the sector business services, for example, the number of bankruptcies dropped by more than 23 and nearly 16 percent respectively.

The number of bankruptcies increased in three sectors. The most substantial increase occurred in the construction sector, where the number of bankruptcies soared by 47 percent compared to the first half of 2009. The increase in bankruptcies in the sector agriculture was nearly 44 percent. In the sector other services, there was a marginal increase of just over 2 percent.

Corporate bankruptcies (excluding one-man businesses) by sector

Number of bankruptcies 38 percent down in Flevoland

In the first six months of 2010, the number of bankruptcies varied strongly across the Dutch provinces. In Flevoland, the number of bankruptcies dropped by nearly 38 percent relative to the same period last year. The number of bankruptcies also declined in five other provinces.  

The number of bankruptcies increased in six provinces, most substantially in Overijssel, where the increase was more than 12 percent relative to the same in 2009.

Bankruptcies by province

Arie Eilbracht