Dutch Policymakers’ Short-Sighted Approach to Growth: Criticisms and Concerns

Dutch lawmaker Laurens Dassen from the pro-Europe party Volt has criticized policymakers for diverting funds from a €20 billion “National Growth Fund” reserved for projects that would propel long-term growth. He pointed out that this short-sighted approach sacrifices long-term investments and future earning capacity for short-term benefits for taxpayers.

On the other hand, Robert-Jan Smits, the president of the executive board of TU/Eindhoven and a member of the Brainport Foundation that supports Eindhoven’s progress, believes that a stable government is crucial for the growth of companies. He stated that companies do not want to deal with continuous uncertainty, which is currently a challenge in the Netherlands due to various ad hoc measures, especially regarding fiscal policy.

As an additional concern, Dassen also highlighted the impending departure of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Rutte, who once worked as a manager at Unilever, is acknowledged for his receptiveness to the concerns raised by large companies, such as the elimination of the dividend tax.