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The Single Market and Competitiveness Scoreboard

Country data: Netherlands

Transposition of Single Market directives (Netherlands)

Trend since last reporting period:  positive;  negative; = neutral
Ranking out of 27: 1 to 9; 10 to 18; 19 to 27
Indicators on Single Market DirectivesDec. 2024EU averageRankingTrend
Transposition deficit (percentage of all directives not transposed)0.9%0.8%16
Overdue directives98
Long-overdue directives (> 2 years)3123
  • Directive 2017/2397/EU – Recognition of professional qualifications in inland navigation
  • Directive 2020/12/EU – Supplement to Directive (EU) 2017/2397 as regards the standards for competences and corresponding knowledge and skills, for the practical examinations, for the approval of simulators and for medical fitness
  • Directive (EU) 2019/1151 – Amendment of Directive (EU) 2017/1132 as regards the use of digital tools and processes in company law
Average delay in transposing directives (in months)15.011.920
Conformity deficit (percentage of all directives transposed incorrectly)1.2%0.9%18=
Duration of infringement proceedings for late transposition (in months)18.118.013

Single Market infringement cases (Netherlands)

Trend since last reporting period:  positive;  negative; = neutral
Ranking out of 27: 1 to 9; 10 to 18; 19 to 27
Ranking out of 20 (compliance with Court rulings): 1 to 7; 8 to 14; 15 to 20

Indicators on Single Market Infringement ProceedingsDec. 2024EU averageRankingTrend
Number of pending infringement proceedings252413
Problematic sectors
  • Direct taxation (4 cases)
  • Road and rail transport (3 cases)
Average duration of infringement proceedings (in months)45.445.815
Average time taken to comply with Court rulings (in months)169.561.318↘↘

Internal Market Information System (Netherlands)

Technical regulations information system (Netherlands)

On these, the Commission issued 1 detailed opinion and 3 comments, while other Member States issued no detailed opinion and 1 comment.

SOLVIT (Netherlands)

Caseload
Submitted cases: 174 (138 in 2023)
Received cases: 77 (48 in 2023)
Cases not accepted: 173 (166 in 2023)

Resolution rate: 74% (72.9% in 2023)

Handling time (as home centre)
Reply in 7 days: 97% (93% in 2023)
Cases prepared in 30 days: 92% (82% in 2023)
Solutions accepted within 7 days: 96% (96% in 2023)
Cases not accepted within 30 days: 90% (72% in 2023)

Handling time (as lead centre)
Cases accepted within 7 days: 96% (94% in 2023)
Cases closed within 10 weeks: 79% (73% in 2023)

Staffing level
Sufficient

Payment delays (Netherlands)

In 2024, the average payment delay (the time exceeding the legal or agreed payment terms) by public authorities in the Netherlands was 14 days.

The average number of days needed for a business to have its Invoices paid by other businesses (business-to-business payments) was 62 days.

Responsive administration and burden of regulation (Netherlands)

IndicatorYearNLEU average
Burden of government regulation (survey replies: 1 = worst, 7 = best)20234.43  3.87  
Digital public services to start and run a business (100% = best performing)202386.7%85.4% 
Payment delays by public authorities202414 days16.76 days
Time to resolve insolvency   
Impact of regulation on long-term investment decisions (survey replies)   

Access to public procurement (Netherlands)

Indicator2023EU average
Single bidder

19%

38%

No calls for bids

11%

6%

Publication rate (value advertised on Tenders Electronic Daily, in % of GDP)

3.8%

5.84%

Cooperative procurement (proportion of procedures with more than one buyer)

3%

7%

Award criteria (proportion of procedures awarded to cheapest bid)

26%

56%

Decision speed (days)

97 

84

SME contractors

65%

58%

SME bids

50%

66%

Procedures divided into lots

15%

30%

Missing calls for bids

2%

1%

Missing seller registration numbers

41%

47%

Missing buyer registration numbers

5%

36%

Note: A typical (mid-ranking) EU country is used for the EU average for all indicators except the publication rate. Due to delays in data availability, publication rate results are based on 2022 data.

Access to services and services markets (Netherlands)

IndicatorYearNLEU average
Restrictiveness indicator – architect20211.1  2.5  
Restrictiveness indicator – accountant20211.9  1.7  
Restrictiveness indicator – civil engineer20210.0  2.4  
Restrictiveness indicator – lawyer20213.0  3.4  
Restrictiveness indicator – real estate agent20210.0  1.3  
Restrictiveness indicator – patent agent20212.0  2.2  
Restrictiveness indicator – tourist guide20210.0  1.2  
Domestic priority letter prices, letter 20 g 2022€ 0.96€ 1.06
Intra-EU priority letter prices, letter 20 g2022€ 1.55€ 1.71
Domestic transit times, day+1 performance, priority letters 20 g 202291.4%81.7%

Note: The EU restrictiveness indicator (EURI) measures the level of restrictiveness for the cross-border provision of services and the right of establishment for seven groups of professional services with a high share in EU firms’ intermediate consumption or cross-border mobility. The level of restrictiveness is measured on a scale from 0 (least restrictive) to 6 (most restrictive). 

Access to finance (Netherlands)

IndicatorYearNLEU average
Access to public financial support (% of SMEs indicating deterioration)202317.11% 19.11%
Time to get paid by businesses 202462 days62 days
Venture capital investments (% of GDP)20230.107%0.050%
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