Economic zones

Economic zones

The Cantonal Government of the Canton of Basel-Stadt is committed to ensuring that Basel continues to develop as an attractive and successful economic location. For this, the availability of suitable economic zones is an essential factor. Attractive real estate offers shall encourage new company establishments and business expansions.

To achieve this objective, the Economic Development Unit implements various measures each year and offers specific products and services:

• The economic zones report (in German only) reflects the current market situation regarding the economic areas in the Canton of Basel-Stadt and summarizes the progress made within the current development plans. It is drawn up every year by the Office of Economy and Labour for the attention of the Cantonal Government.
• The economic zones portfolio (in German only) offers an overview of available and future opportunities for expanding and newly settling companies.
• For the purpose of networking and establishing new contacts, we regularly organise events; furthermore, we are in ongoing exchange with local companies, project developers, investors, and real estate owners.

Economic zones report

The Economic Development Unit annually summarises most important indicators and developments on Basel’s economic zones market. The report focuses on the development of vacancies in commercial real estate according to type of use and availability rate, which compares the available office space with the total supply.

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Vacancy development of economic zones in Basel-Stadt in square metres (Statistical Office)

Considering the vacancy development according to the figures provided by the Statistical Office of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, the vacancy rate of economic zones has been relatively stable over the past five years and thus remains at an overall low level. It was not until the end of 2019 and the first few months of 2020 that there were signs of an increase in availability in Basel-Stadt, particularly in terms of office space.

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Availability rates for office space in European cities 2019 (JLL Office Market Switzerland 2020)

A comparison between the availability rate for office space in Basel and that of other European cities shows that the local market in this sector continues to be characterized by a relatively scarce supply and a high demand. Most of the examined economic centres had availability rates beyond 5% in 2019, a circumstance that enables a good selection of location options from the demand perspective. The comparison shows that only locations experiencing an economic boom like Munich and Amsterdam, which are generally known for their tense real estate markets, present vacancy rates that are as low as in Basel.

Do you have any questions regarding the current situation on the market in the economic zones of the Canton of Basel-Stadt? Please contact our person responsible for economic zones.

Economic zones portfolio Basel-Stadt

Are you looking for an area to expand your company? Would you like to develop attractive commercial real estate for the increasing market demand? Or are you interested in investing in commercial real estate? The economic zones portfolio provides an overview of available and future zones with potential for commercial use in Canton Basel-Stadt.

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Overview of the economic areas under development in the Canton of Basel-Stadt

Due to the high attractiveness of Basel as a business location and the correspondingly high demand for attractive economic zones, the development of new areas as well as of areas in conversion in the Canton of Basel-Stadt represents a top priority.

The interactive economic zones portfolio of the Canton of Basel-Stadt (in German only) offers you a modular and up-to-date overview of the economic zones in the canton available in the future. Consult the site plan and the descriptions of each area to find out whether a particular location is of interest to you as a company or as a real estate investor.

If you have any questions about the portfolio or individual locations, do not hesitate to contact our person responsible for the economic zones.

The Economic Development Unit as a facilitator in the real estate field

A dynamic and efficient business real estate market is characterized by a quick adaptation of real estate offers to the constantly changing requirements of companies. The Economic Development Unit regards itself as a facilitator between companies, the real estate industry and public administration, in order to provide all participants with the best possible decision-making basis.

To this end, we organize yearly events to give existing and potential stakeholders insight into developments and investment opportunities in Basel and to promote mutual exchange.

Are you planning an expansion of your company or are you searching for profitable investment opportunities in commercial real estate? In this case, we look forward to showing you the possibilities in the Canton of Basel-Stadt.