> In Europe it is hostility mostly all the way, from banks to regulators to governments, and so on

I have various experience with opening businesses and my impression is that the quality of service is the same as for personal matters, not worse nor better. My complaint (for both personal and as business) is that you stumble upon low qualified people that just do not care. If you know what to ask and how things work, it's mostly ok. If you need to discover by yourself (and nobody helps you) you will have headaches.

> Americans love new things and new ideas and see them as opportunities. Europeans see them as threats.

That's definitely true, and a big frustration for the entrepreneurial type. But, think like an American - see it as an opportunity! Once European are convinced things are not "a threat/evil" they will work more steady with you, for the longer term. I worked at a number of projects with US that changed direction so often that nothing was ever finished - because they always went for the newest idea. Not ideal either.