Minister Vincent Karremans of the Ministry of Economic Affairs has presented the first Productivity Agenda. It outlines plans to make the Netherlands more productive, ensuring we can continue to afford healthcare, education, and other services in the future. Increased productivity means that entrepreneurs and employees can do the same work faster or more easily, or even achieve more with the same effort.
The Dutch economy is still among the most productive in the world, but growth is stagnating. Over the past 10 years, productivity has only increased by 0.4% per year, compared to 1.5% previously. This has major consequences for our prosperity. Minister Karremans presented the productivity agenda today during a working visit to Nieuwegein: "We need to earn more money with fewer people, so our productivity must increase. Our hospitals and schools were built thanks to the productivity of previous generations. If we want to maintain high-quality healthcare and education, we must now ensure that companies and institutions can work smarter and innovate."
Measures
The Productivity Agenda includes measures in five areas aimed at increasing productivity:
- Digitalization and innovation: By helping SMEs work digitally and building a Dutch AI factory, companies can execute processes faster, cheaper, and smarter. This saves time and money.
- Competition and fewer regulations: Simpler and better-aligned regulations, such as standardized labels across Europe, reduce the administrative burden. This allows companies to focus more on their core activities.
- Business financing: Access to credit makes it easier for SMEs to invest in innovation and growth. Employee participation and better support for researchers stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation, allowing new ideas to find their way to the market more quickly.
- Education and lifelong development: Stronger basic skills and a personal learning and development budget ensure that people are better prepared for changes in their work. Well-trained employees can work more efficiently and adopt new technology more quickly.
- Labor market: Less uncertainty about sick pay reduces risks for entrepreneurs. This makes it more attractive to hire people and contributes to a dynamic and productive labor market.
New Productivity Council
To monitor progress, the government is establishing a Productivity Council. This council will provide concrete recommendations annually to make the Netherlands more productive and therefore more prosperous.
With these measures, the government aims to ensure that the Dutch economy remains strong and that we can continue to pay for our social services in the future.
Read the full Productivity Agenda on the Dutch government website:
