Europe's heavily regulated labour market means that it's significantly more expensive and risky to hire people in your startup. A "work 18 hours a day" Microsof

Europe's heavily regulated labour market means that it's significantly more expensive and risky to hire people in your startup. A "work 18 hours a day" Microsoft/Apple would be almost impossible in those countries. It's not easy to start companies in France and Germany, compared to the US, UK, Ireland and other English speaking countries: http://www.heritage.org/index/countries.cfm http://www.heritage.org/index/countries.cfm Compare France: The labor market operates under regulated employment rules that could be improved to enhance employment and productivity growth. The non-salary cost of employing a worker is very high, and dismissing a redundant employee can be costly. There are rigid restrictions on increasing or expanding the number of working hours. Due partly to complicated and pervasive labor regulations, the unemployment rate is high. A recent effort to reform the regulated labor market met fierce resistance. .. and Germany: The labor market operates under restrictive employment regulations that seriously hinder employment and productivity growth. The non-salary cost of employing a worker is high, and dismissing a redundant employee is costly. Reforms implemented in recent years focus on reducing welfare benefits for the unemployed. However, Germany's wages and fringe benefits remain among the world's highest, and the ability of businesses to fire workers is subject to rigid conditions, all of which serves as a disincentive to invest and create jobs. to the US: The labor market operates under highly flexible employment regulations that enhance overall productivity growth. The non-salary cost of employing a worker is low, and dismissing a redundant employee is costless.