The number of new limited companies (bv) being launched in the Netherlands has risen by 55% since the €18,000 capital requirement was dropped, according to chamber of commerce figures.

Over the past 12 months to October, 62,000 new besloten venootschappen were set up, compared with 40,000 in the year-earlier period, the Financieele Dagblad reported.

The number of other types of company, such as cooperatives and vofs, has gone down correspondingly the research showed.

Six out of 10 of the new limited companies are economically active. The rest are holding companies.

Leiden university tax law lecturer and researcher Yves Gassler told the paper freelancers, particularly those who earn more than €50,000 a year, are opting to set up limited companies.