16/03/2016

Belfast Best Small European City For Business Friendliness

Belfast has been named as the best small European City for Business Friendliness, by fDi Magazine.

Councillor Deirdre Hargey, Chair of City Growth and Generation Committee at Belfast City Council accepted the award at the European Cities and Regions of the Future ceremony that took place at the world’s largest investment event at MIPIM in Cannes.

The city was also ranked among the top ten European cities for its economic potential and its strategy for attracting foreign direct investment.

Belfast was also named the leading city for job creation from inward investment in the UK (excluding London) and had the highest figures by this measure among all small European cities. On a per capita basis, Northern Ireland also came out on top in attracting the highest number of FDI jobs in the UK.

Accepting the award, Councillor Hargey said: "We have come to MIPIM with a strong message - that now is the time to invest in Belfast due to three Ts of Talent, Tax and Technology - and this award provides external endorsement for the message that we have been promoting.

"We have a highly skilled workforce, extremely competitive prime office rates and Belfast’s tourism industry is thriving, with a very healthy creative and tech sector too. The planned introduction of a new corporation tax rate will no doubt prove attractive to investors also."

(MH)

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