According to D66 MP Romke de Jong, the reason why SMEs cannot yet benefit from the billions reserved for businesses is that the existing schemes are mainly aimed at large sums. “Maybe small entrepreneurs only need small investments,” says De Jong. “Many of the schemes are valued at large amounts, and so it would be nice if entrepreneurs were also given the opportunity to invest small amounts.”
“Many of the schemes are valued at high amounts”
While acknowledging that greening actions in large companies and industrial companies are more effective, he underlines the importance of sustainability among SMEs. ‘They also want to become more sustainable. Whether it’s saving money or reducing your emissions,’ he continues. “But also because customers simply expect a company to do something about its environmental impact.”
Wait
De Jong therefore has little sympathy for the wait-and-see attitude of Minister Adriaansens, who first wants to wait for any type of assessment and see how the legislation will end up. D66 supports a microfund with which entrepreneurs can borrow money easily, well and cheaply if they cannot pay off the investment amount themselves.
This should include businesses and entrepreneurs for whom available loans are either insufficient or too large, says De Jong. ‘So small businesses with loan amounts of up to 50,000 euros, like the baker,’ he explains. “It could switch from a gas oven to an electric oven, for example. But it could also be a company that wants to eliminate gas and install a heat pump.’
Balance
According to De Jong, the plan for a microfund fits perfectly into Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag’s spring memorandum, and smaller entrepreneurs are indeed being considered. “€150 million has been made available to make SMEs more sustainable and we would like to see part of this amount reserved so that entrepreneurs can borrow well and cheaply to invest in making their business greener.” .