Part of the House of Representatives is concerned about the Dutch business climate. According to the employers’ organizations VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland, many entrepreneurs believe that the situation has worsened. This afternoon, Economy Minister Adriaansens has to convince the House that Holland is still attractive for business.
The parliamentary debate follows just a day after the cabinet announced it would block an initiative law for responsible business, out of fear that this law would harm the Dutch business climate. Ministers Adriaansens for economic affairs and Schreinemacher for foreign trade informed the creators of the law.
Last month, Boskalis CEO Peter Berdowski threatened to leave the Netherlands in an interview with the FD if this law goes into effect. This interview was followed by a parliamentary debate, therefore scheduled for this afternoon. Berdowski told the paper the blocked law makes it “impossible” to do business in the Netherlands.
Harmful nitrogen policy
The employers’ associations VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland discussed it yesterday evening: the organizations write to the House of Representatives, ahead of the debate, that one in three entrepreneurs find the business climate in the Netherlands unattractive. Around 60% believe the business climate has worsened over the past five years.
According to the employers’ associations, the Dutch nitrogen policy is also harmful to the Dutch business community. The FD calculated last autumn that the economic damage of the nitrogen crisis had risen to 28 billion euros.
Regulatory pressure
According to D66 member of parliament Romke de Jong, the nitrogen crisis keeps the Dutch economy in a ‘suspend’, because companies cannot expand or invest. He invites Minister Adriaansens to hurry up. “With all that investment stagnating, we’re stalling our economy.”
Minister Adriaansens says he wants to work on reducing regulatory pressure for companies and harmonizing rules in Europe. And we need to invest more. In innovation, people and knowledge.’
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
