A Dictionary of Dutchness

ZZP'er

ZZP’er stands for Zelfstandige Zonder Personeel (independent without staff) and is the moniker given to the 410,000 people who work in the Netherlands as self-employed, freelancers or one-person companies – be they long- distance lorry drivers, accountants or plumbers. Some 80% of companies are founded by people who started out as a ZZP’er, according to economic affairs ministry figures.