82% of starters is zzp'er despite tackling of false self-employment

The proportion of zzp'ers is above average in sectors such as education, construction, and healthcare. It is also striking that the decline observed at the end of 2024 has not continued. The number of zzp'ers has now been rising again for some time. Despite debates about false self-employment and measures to reduce the use of zzp'ers, this form of entrepreneurship remains an important part of the economy.

According to Joris Knoben, professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at Tilburg University, the trend demonstrates that there remains a need for flexibility in the labour market. “Throughout their careers, people move between salaried employment, entrepreneurship, and other flexible forms of work. In sectors such as construction in particular, you see organisations making use of a mix of employees and zzp'ers. That need for flexibility is not going to disappear overnight.”

In the education sector, too, the proportion of zzp'ers remains relatively high. “Agreements had been made at sector level to make less use of zzp'ers , but in practice this arrangement persists. This shows that the demand for flexibility is not something that can simply be organised away.”

Number of business closures falls, slight rise in bankruptcies

The number of business establishments has risen slightly by 1.5% compared with the same quarter last year. At the end of Q3 2026, there were 2,637,902 business establishments registered in the KVK Business Register. The number of business owners who closed their business (‘closures’) in the third quarter stood at 36,610, which was 4.3% lower than a year earlier. By contrast, there was a slight increase (0.6%) in the number of bankruptcies, totalling 735 this quarter. “The decline in the number of business closures and the continued growth in the number of business establishments demonstrate the resilience of the Dutch business community. Despite national and international uncertainties, entrepreneurs continue to see opportunities and are taking the step towards setting up their own businesses.”

* The number of zzp'ers includes both the number of main and secondary establishments and the number of full-time and part-time zzp'ers.

• Part-time zzp'er: one person working part-time (less than 15 hours per week), no full-time employees; legal structure is an eenmanszaak or BV.
• Full-time zzp'er: one person working full-time (15 hours per week or more), no part-time workers, legal structure is an eenmanszaak or a BV.