On 7 September 2020, the cabinet presented ‘het Nationaal Groeifonds’ (the National Growth Fund). Over the next five years, the cabinet will allocate a total of 20 billion euros for investments that contribute to knowledge development, physical infrastructure and research, development & innovation.
The fund is intended for one-off public investments and will have its own budget and an independent committee that assesses the proposals. The ‘Tweede kamer’ (House of Representatives) must approve the distribution of money over the three investment areas: knowledge development, physical infrastructure and research, development & innovation. Innovation in the Netherlands, including in the energy transition, is given an extra boost. Especially for large one-off investments, this fund will help to accelerate economic growth and innovation.
In the short term, there are already opportunities for investments that help to increase prosperity and earning capacity in the future. That is why the cabinet wants to decide during this cabinet term on several projects that contribute to this. For the sake of time, no broad request for projects has been made for this first round, but it has been decided to submit proposals that concern well-developed plans. Plans concerning the energy sector have been submitted too.
The cabinet will set up an independent committee for an objective and politically independent assessment of the investment proposals submitted. The money will only be made available after positive advice from this committee and a decision by the cabinet. At the annual "State of the Economy", the ministers of Economic Affairs and Climate and Finance will announce the investment plans from now on.
Interested?
Nationaal Groeifonds - parliamentary document (in Dutch)
Instellingsbesluit commissie Nationaal Groeifonds - parliamentary document (in Dutch)
Persconferentie Nationaal Groeifonds - Video press conference (in Dutch)