In the year 2006, ZEW had developed the Country Index for Family Enterprises on behalf of the Stiftung Familienunternehmen. The objective of this index is an international comparison of investment locations from the perspective of family enterprises. For this purpose, partial indicators have been developed covering the aspects taxation, employment, regulations, financing, public infrastructure, financial markets and energy for 18 countries. Within the scope of this project, the index is updated for the fifth time. Furthermore, the 2016 update entails an excursus addressing Foreign Trade.