Le magazine économique et financier américain FORBES a publié fin 2016 une nouvelle édition de son classement de pays pour l'environnement des affaires "Best countries for business". Il s'agit de la 11ème édition de l'étude, dont la dernière édition date de décembre 2015. FORBES analyse quels sont les pays les plus attractifs au monde pour un investissement en capital. Dans cette étude, 139 pays sont analysés sur base d'une dizaine de déterminants (équi-pondérés) dont les droits de propriété, l'innovation, la fiscalité, la technologie, la corruption, les libertés, les charges administratives, la protection des investisseurs ou encore la performance des marchés boursiers. Les auteurs de l'étude puisent les informations dans une série de publications internationales comme celles du Forum économique mondial, de la Banque mondiale, etc.
Le classement mondial 2017 est mené par la Suède, suivie par la Nouvelle-Zélande et Hong Kong. Le Luxembourg occupe le 14ème rang mondial. Les Pays-Bas se classent 7ème, la Belgique 17ème, l'Allemagne 21ème et la France 26ème.
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Source: Forbes (2016)
Pour conclure, les auteurs dressent le constat suivant à l'égard du Luxembourg: "
This small, stable, high-income economy has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, machinery and equipment, rubber, automotive components, and other products. The financial sector, which accounts for about 36% of GDP, is the leading sector in the economy. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 39% of its labor force. Luxembourg experienced uneven economic growth in the aftermath of the global economic crisis that began in late 2008. Luxembourg's GDP contracted 3.6% in 2009, rebounded in 2010-12, fell again in 2013-14, but recovered in 2015. Unemployment has remained below the EU average despite having increased from a historically low rate of 4% in the 2000s to 7.1% in 2014. The country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks among the highest in the world and is the highest in the euro zone. Luxembourg has one of the highest current account surpluses as a share of GDP in the euro zone, and it maintains a healthy budgetary position and the lowest public debt level in the region. Luxembourg has lost some of its advantage as a favorable tax location because of OECD and EU pressure. In 2015, the government’s compliance with EU requirements to implement automatic exchange of tax information on savings accounts - thus ending banking secrecy - has depressed banking activity and dampened GDP growth. Likewise, changes to the way EU members collect taxes from e-commerce has cut Luxembourg’s tax revenues, requiring the government to raise additional levies and to reduce some direct social benefits".
