Finland continues to be the most attractive Nordic country for securing foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with 133 ventures commenced in 2016.

This is the fifth consecutive year Finland beats its neighbours in attracting FDI projects. According to the Attractiveness Report 2017 by EY, Finland seized 41 per cent of FDI projects started in the Nordics last year.

The secured 133 FDI projects represent an increase of 27 per cent in comparison to 2015.

In Europe, Finland was the 11th highest recipient of FDI projects. The Uusimaa area in Finland, which includes the Helsinki region, ranked as the ninth highest metropole region for FDI projects across Europe, with 94 launched projects.

In terms of job creation, Finland ranked third of all the Nordic countries. The report tells that FDI resulted in 700 new jobs in Finland in the course of the year.

Chinese investors had a strong interest in the Nordics, as they launched 17 FDI projects in the Nordics in 2016, nine of which in Finland. Together with Sweden, the US and Germany, China was responsible for over a half of the initiated projects in Finland.

From The Report’s executive summary:
„The number of FDI projects initiated by foreign investors rebounded strongly and climbed to a record high 328, outperforming the growth experienced across Europe as a whole by as much as double. This is a great accomplishment and demonstrates the ability of the Nordics to attract and sustain appeal to foreign investors."

„The Nordics remains largely successful in attracting FDI, and has clear potential and opportunities to sustain that success going forward. Through its well-developed digital and logistical infrastructures, skilled labor forces and stable legal and regulatory environments, the Nordics is well positioned to capture the tremendous upside of business-orientated digital technologies. This is supported by recent findings of the European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society Index, which concluded that Nordic countries have the most advanced and competitive digital economies in Europe.”

Source: www.goodnewsfinland.com
Photo: absfreepic.com