VVD for Expats

Amsterdam’s position as the best place in Europe for the international business community to settle has dropped from sixth place in 2007 to eighth place in 2009. This is bad for both Amsterdam and the expats that live there.

If you decide to pursue an international career, then you want to live in a city where businesses want to settle and where you are welcome.

Amsterdam is a wonderful city, characterised by its stately homes, its museums and its tolerant, creative atmosphere. The city is also full of tourists enjoying the scenery, but if you live in Amsterdam as an expat, you need a little more.

You want to live in a city that listens to you, that keeps you in mind and that makes you feel you are truly welcome. On 3 March 2010, expats registered in Amsterdam will vote in the municipal elections.

The VVD, a liberal party, stands for freedom and democracy. It will work in the years to come on the following:

• A clean city that is also cleaned during the night.

• Better quality retail opportunities. We will stimulate renowned brands to come to Amsterdam.

• A customer-friendly, efficient taxi company and cheaper parking near your house.

• Better information about living, education and work visas in Amsterdam by expanding the expat centre in the WTC.

• Improved nightlife with more quality events in Amsterdam; down with dreary!

• Improved customer service through training the city’s service industry employees.

• Less red tape, lower costs and definitely no tax hikes.

• Stimulating more international companies to establish their businesses in Amsterdam.

In 2007, 48% of expats felt welcome in Amsterdam. This figure has now dropped to 37%. As many as seven out of ten expats want to leave Amsterdam in 2010. The VVD asks you to stay because Amsterdam needs you. More than one third of expats who wish to leave, do so because they can enjoy a better quality of life in their home country.

We, the VVD, promise to improve the quality of our city over the coming years for you.