Three leaders in the Brainport region have urged the Dutch government to start investing soon.
They did so in the national newspaper, the Financieel Dagblad. They say this should happen as early as the next Prinsjesdag (Budget Day). The government must do this to overcome the economic crisis.
This year’s Prinsjesdag is on 15 September. Prinsjesdag is when the reigning Dutch monarch addresses a joint session of the Dutch Senate and House of Representatives. King Willem-Alexander will give the Troonrede (Throne Speech). In this, the monarch sets out the government policy’s main features for the coming year.
Three regional leaders as authors
Eindhoven’s Mayor, John Jorritsma, is one of the opinion piece’s contributors. The other two are Hans de Jong, President of Philips Netherlands, and Robert-Jan Smits. Smits is the Eindhoven University of Technology’s Chairman of the Board.
The directors quoted the cabinet’s 2019 growth figures. These highlighted the economic issues the government was facing. Due to the corona crisis, these problems have only become more pressing.
That’s according to the writers. That’s why, according to these growth figures, investments must be made in four categories. These are in talent, innovation hubs, large, necessary social transitions, and accessibility and mobility.
Brainport is doing it right
The Brainport bigwigs say they endorse these areas’ importance. Brainport is one of the innovation hubs to which the financial publication refers. The corona crisis shows that Brainport’s expanding in the right way.
According to the authors, the manufacturing industry’s employment and production have largely remained intact. This industry also proved capable of quickly developing and producing new respiratory equipment as well as masks.
Investment in innovation hubs allows the Netherlands to maintain a strong position among the world’s countries. This is in the battle for knowledge. According to the three men, this expertise enables the Netherlands to develop various machines and products.
‘Robust markets’
These are not only in the fields of healthcare, digitisation, and food safety. They also concern sustainable energy and mobility. Changes in these fields are also ‘robust economic markets’. According to Jorritsma, De Jong, and Smits, this can keep the collective facilities in these areas afloat.
Exporting products and machines can help with this. According to the men, every Euro invested in Research and Development has a €4,50 return. Companies from the Brainport region account for 23% of the total investment made in the Netherlands too.
“The corona crisis has now only added to that task. The Netherlands can’t afford to let the announced growth fund of billions of euros become the next cabinet’s toy,” the authors conclude.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Bob
Editor: Melinda Walraven
