The Netherlands must spend billions of euros on knowledge, innovation and infrastructure, advises former ASML CEO Peter Wennink in a report requested by the outgoing Cabinet in early September.
‘Whereas Europe once played a pioneering role in innovation, this has not been the case for years,’ it states. The report throws around billions. The idea is that additional public spending would also persuade companies to open their wallets. This brings the report’s total to between 151 and 187 billion euros over the next ten years.
Internationalisation
Wennink advocates an ‘active and targeted migration and settlement programme that encourages foreign talent to come to the Netherlands and continue working here.’ This mainly concerns students and knowledge workers in engineering, ICT, energy and biomedical technology.
Further training
There should also be more scope for retraining and further training. In connection with this, Wennink wants to restrict the rights of employees. He believes that social security and labour market policy need to be ‘recalibrated’. ‘Permanent contracts are too rigid, flexible contracts too uncertain.’
Trade unions
Trade unions are sceptical. ‘We recognise the urgency of investment, but the need to reduce regulatory pressure cannot be at the expense of social protection for employees,’ says Nic van Holstein, Chairman of the VCP trade union federation. ‘It is inconceivable that decisions are being made about us without us.’
TU Delft
The Dutch Association of Universities (UNL) embraces the report, as does TU Delft Rector Magnificus Tim van der Hagen. ‘For the future, we now have a great need for stable funding for our education, research and the valorisation of our knowledge,’ he says in a press release.
HOP, Bas Belleman
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