The Netherlands at work

Work and certainty

Most people in the Netherlands derive their income, development, social contact and sense of purpose from work. It is the foundation on which families, communities and our economy are built. We consider it important that work should pay more and should offer people prospects: a decent income, certainty when faced with setbacks, and opportunities to develop in line with an economy and labour market that are rapidly evolving. We are mindful of people’s purchasing power. And those who are unable to work must be able to rely on a good social security system. This is what can be expected of a society with a strong middle class, where people contribute as much as possible and are rewarded for doing so. And a society where they receive help when difficulties arise – after all, that can happen to anyone.

The economy is changing fast, partly due to the rise of AI and other technological developments, and as a result the labour market is changing too. This is causing people to feel uncertain about their work and income. At the same time, employers are experiencing large staff shortages and crucial vacancies are going unfilled. All too often, talent does not reach the places where it can add the most value. More movement is needed to keep our economy competitive and to offer people certainty about their work and income. What is more, the population of the Netherlands is ageing and the number of people unable to work due to sickness or disability is increasing. This is putting pressure on the continued viability of our valued social provisions.

Time for choices

That’s why it’s now necessary to make choices. Choices are needed in the short term, as well as choices for the medium term to push ahead with important reforms. Decisiveness and ambition won’t lead to success without societal support and cooperation. In the Netherlands, employees, employers and the government always cooperate as social partners and take bold action in difficult times. Together we find the solutions that our future prosperity requires. We want to continue that cooperation. The structural challenges of demographic ageing, labour shortages and increasing pressure on social security call for ambitious choices that will contribute to economic growth and financial viability. It is important to work towards a future-proof and flexible labour market, not least so that we can protect jobs in the Netherlands. The Wennink and Draghi reports are a key source of inspiration in this respect.

We invite the social partners to work with us on an ambitious cooperation agenda, centred on fundamental solutions for the medium and long term. Choices of this nature need to be made in various areas, and we realise that this will take time. But not every subject will require the same amount of time, and some choices are too urgent to postpone for too long. We will therefore present a supplementary work agenda for the short term, setting out various specific and urgent actions to be taken.

In view of our aim to work towards a common social agenda, the government attaches great importance to constructive cooperation with the social partners. We would like to enter into talks with them to elaborate the measures in the work agenda, especially those concerning unemployment benefit (WW), transition pay and ‘from work to work’ policy. We also want to discuss continued payment of salary in the case of sickness and while receiving benefits under the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act (WIA), all within the applicable financial frameworks.

In these tripartite consultations, the government, represented by the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, will work with employers’ organisations and unions towards concrete objectives for a more effectively functioning labour market and a better system of work and income. Speed is a crucial requirement in this respect because we want to reach solutions in a fast, straightforward and practical manner for issues that cannot afford to wait. This will require serious efforts from all parties concerned.

In doing so we will align almost entirely with the recommendations made by the Social and Economic Council (SER) to the three parties regarding:

completion of the labour market package arising from the SER’s medium-term advisory report for 2021-2025;
implementation of the Pension Agreement and the agreement aimed at helping workers reach retirement in good health (Gezond naar het pensioen);
improving the position of non-Dutch workers and reducing demand for low-paid work;
increasing labour productivity.

More space in the labour market

Short-term work agenda

Employers experience the long duration and high cost of having to continue paying salary in the case of sickness as a considerable burden. As a result, small businesses are afraid to give people permanent contracts, which is highly disadvantageous for employees and jobseekers. The biggest impact is on small and medium-sized enterprises. On the other hand, we also see that continued payment of salary in the second year is an effective incentive for an employee’s reintegration with their own employer. The government will therefore work on proposals to make the continued payment of salary in the case of sickness more workable for employers, particularly SMEs.
In order to limit the administrative burden, we will remove bureaucratic obstacles currently contained in the Eligibility for Permanent Incapacity Benefit (Restrictions) Act, such as certain reporting obligations, and minimise uncertainty at the outset about sanctions. By clarifying duties and fostering a more tailored approach with more frequent employer-employee contact, we aim to accelerate reintegration and encourage employers and employees to work on recovery.
The collective labour agreement (CAO) is and will remain an important pillar underpinning employment and working conditions. We therefore consider it important to increase support for collective agreements and to modernise this instrument. As part of the broader approach to limiting the regulatory burden, we will discuss with the social partners how we can reduce unnecessary regulatory burden within collective labour agreements. We will also examine where there is friction between the possibility of exemptions and innovative new areas of industry and look at broader involvement of non-union members while preventing competition on the basis of employment conditions. The advice of the Labour Foundation regarding collective labour agreements will be the starting point for this examination.
Unfortunately discrimination in the labour market in the Netherlands is still too common. We will get to work on action to eliminate it. We will ask employers to shoulder their responsibility for bringing an end to discrimination in the workplace and in recruitment and selection. The government will enter into dialogue with the House on the subject as soon as possible.
We will launch a three-year pilot for an active, targeted programme that – subject to strict conditions – will attract well-qualified workers who can add value in the Netherlands in pre-determined industry sectors. Those conditions will include salary and housing requirements and a maximum employment term of three years. Those eligible to apply for this pilot will in any event include nationals of EU candidate countries.
We want to increase productivity in key sectors, from market leaders to SMEs. We will also focus attention on sectors that do not operate productively at present. Through public-private partnerships, we will support businesses with digitalisation, automation and smarter operation. We will continue the approach already initiated under the productivity agenda.

Self-employed people

An ever-growing group of self-employed people are an inherent part of a modern labour market in which workers' desire for autonomy is increasing. We want to give this group the freedom and the clarity that they deserve. We will therefore implement the Self-employed Persons Act as quickly as possible. We will do this in a phased manner so that the timetable takes account of European obligations. We will begin the introduction of the legal presumption of employee status from the Employment Status Assessment and Legal Presumption (Clarification) Bill (the clarification part will therefore be scrapped), as well as the sectoral legal presumptions and assessment committees under the Self-employed Persons Act. The government will submit the rest of the Self-employed Persons Act to parliament as soon as possible after that.
We will move forward with the parliamentary consideration of the Standard Disability Insurance (Self-employed persons) Act, including the possibility of opting out and taking out private insurance, as laid down in the Pension Agreement.
We want to encourage people to remain employed in public and semi-public sectors such as healthcare and education. For this reason we will promote good employment practice, among other things through social innovation. And we will take the Social and Economic Council advisory report on this matter as our starting point.

‘From work to work’ policy in a changing labour market

In a rapidly changing labour market it should be easier to move ‘from work to work’, so that employees do not get left behind as the economy changes and so that employers are more flexible in an evolving world. For instance, we will offer more scope for tailored application of the age distribution principle in redundancy procedures, allowing greater account to be taken of personal circumstances. We also call on employers to modernise non-competition clauses so that employees have more freedom.
Labour markets vary from one region to another. That is why we will continue to pursue an approach involving regional labour markets and employment centres, in which parties such as municipalities, the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) and social partners cooperate to offer differentiated and customised services aligned with the needs of the local labour market and population.
We will invest in lifelong learning. This will help ensure that employees are in a strong position in a rapidly changing economy. In the short term, we will pursue this aim by establishing a new scheme, to be deployed in targeted manner, looking at sectors where there are shortages and occupations with many potential opportunities (as identified by the UWV, for example). In the meantime, we will work towards a system of individual lifelong learning entitlements. We will ensure that the people who would benefit most from retraining and upskilling (such as people in vocational occupations and small or medium-sized business owners) can also make the most use of it.
We will reform the existing transition pay scheme so that it serves its intended purpose, namely to facilitate the transition from work to work. Transition pay will therefore be linked – in any case as regards what it can be spent on – to the new lifelong learning infrastructure. Employers who have invested in a sufficient and timely manner in upskilling and retraining or who make maximum efforts regarding reintegration obligations under the Eligibility for Permanent Incapacity Benefit (Restrictions) Act will have fewer obligations, or none at all, under the new transition pay scheme. We expect employers and employees to also do their part by, for example, using the resources from the Training and Development Funds more broadly and flexibly. We will abolish the compensation employers receive for transition pay awarded to employees who are dismissed after two years of illness.
In this connection we will also incorporate more focus on activation into the unemployment benefit (WW) system, in keeping with a new system of ‘from work to work’ policy and lifelong learning. Unemployment benefit will therefore be higher at the start and the payment term will be reduced to one year. That way, working people will have more financial security and breathing space to find appropriate new employment quickly. However, the requirements for the accrual of entitlements and for claiming those entitlements will be tightened up somewhat.
The disability benefits system is almost impossible to administer and has become gridlocked, resulting in many vulnerable people not getting the help they need in a timely and effective manner. We will tackle this, drawing a distinction between the short term and the long term. First, we will follow up on expert recommendations regarding the operation of the system and the human dimension. For instance, we will invest in reallocating tasks, stepping up enforcement by the Labour Authority to boost prevention, improving cooperation between occupational health physicians and insurance physicians, and an evolving reintegration process. We will also set more conditions for reassessments under the Work and Income (Capacity for Work) Act (WIA). We intend to implement the recommendation of closing the income support scheme for individuals registered as fully and permanently incapacitated (IVA) to new claimants, in order to prevent the WIA from becoming impossible to administer in the short term. In addition, we want to build more activation into the disability benefit system, where that can be done in a way that takes account of the human dimension.

Medium-term cooperation agenda
In addition to the proposals that we want to introduce in the short term, we will work with the social partners on a labour market for the medium term. Here is what we aim to do:

We want employment security for working people and flexibility for business owners. We will examine where flexibility has gone too far at present and where permanent employment has become overly restrictive, and make reforms where necessary. Key requirements are that employers, particularly SMEs and startups, have more flexibility to move in line with economic developments.
To benefit employees and jobseekers, we will set the requirement that a labour market package must encourage new job creation in order to foster employment security, particularly in the SME sector and the sectors of the future.
We will work together on a social security system that is understandable and reliable for people, and robust and practicable in its implementation. That is why we are opting for a fundamental revision of the system as regards sickness and disability. We want to work towards a system in which the primary focus is on fast and effective guidance into work. The underlying principle is that investing in reintegration efforts will pay off and that we will offer a decent and secure safety net to everyone who is unable to reintegrate. These efforts will begin during the first period of sickness. The process of integrating and improving the service offering of regional employment centres will also play a part.
Together with employers and employees, we will focus on prevention in order to encourage healthy working and reduce the number of new claimants under disability schemes. Obstacles to working or earning additional income will be eliminated, for instance by developing a fall-back option. The new system must also increase the attractiveness of being an employer.
We want to promote the work-to-work pathway as well. This will be the main pathway in the case of dismissal (or likely dismissal), but also if work becomes too physically demanding or people wish to make another step in their career.
People are indeed living longer, healthier lives. Although this is a positive development, it does necessitate sensible choices about how – and how long – we continue to work. In this connection, with effect from 1 January 2033 we will link the state pension (AOW) age directly to increases in life expectancy to keep the state pension affordable in future. We will of course take account of people with physically demanding occupations who are unable to continue working longer. Finally, in the next six years we will reduce the tax relief for supplementary pensions for those on the highest incomes. In this way we will be asking everyone to contribute in order to maintain our social provisions.

A good work-life balance

We will carry on with the implementation of nearly-free childcare for working parents. By abolishing the largest of all the supplementary benefits we will eliminate the greatest uncertainty factor affecting the finances of working parents.
In the same context, working more hours should be financially worthwhile. We will examine unorthodox measures for achieving this, such as relaxing the Working Hours (Discrimination) Act (to allow for a full-time bonus), an hour-based employment tax credit and benefits for additional hours.
It must become easier to combine work with family and care responsibilities. We will simplify the leave system, taking the Social and Economic Council’s advisory report on a balanced approach to social leave (Balans in maatschappelijk verlof) as our starting point.

More support for families with children

We want to support families and offer them more certainty. For this reason we will work towards reducing the multiplicity of schemes and the risk of claims for repayment. We will begin by merging child benefit (kinderbijslag) and supplementary child benefit (kindgebonden budget) into a single child benefit scheme, which will provide a higher fixed amount and lower variable amount. This will increase certainty. Making one implementing agency responsible for the scheme will also make it simpler. Parents will only need to submit a single application and the amounts will be paid together on a monthly basis.

A good income

Given the need to future-proof our social security and healthcare systems, it is necessary to make reforms that will not always be directly experienced by everyone as improvements. It is important to us that nobody slips through the cracks. That is why we will make ambitious efforts to lift as many people as possible out of poverty or prevent them from ending up in that situation in the first place. We see that, even though the number of people in poverty is declining and is now at a historically low level, the intensity of the poverty that remains is increasing. We consider this to be a concerning development and will therefore take targeted measures to help this vulnerable group, which largely consists of the working poor. We will invest in poverty policy and an effective approach to tackling and preventing debt. In addition we will help chronically ill people cover their healthcare costs.
We want more people to find their way into work through the Participation Act, particularly given the shortages on the labour market. However, we will not be constantly asking the small group of people who are truly unable to work to look for a job. We will reform the Participation Act with a focus on highly intensive guidance, investment in communities and effective cooperation with employers, including social enterprises. We will continue to pursue the course that has already been set, in which we operate more on the basis of trust but also carry out effective enforcement of the associated obligations, such as the language requirement and anti-fraud efforts. In this connection we will look to proven successful models, for instance in Rotterdam.
We will work on building financial resilience. To give people a more secure grip on their finances, we will ensure that all government schemes make payment at a fixed time of the month. We will also work with service providers to whom people pay their regular expenses – such as banks, health insurers and energy companies – to endeavour to move to a single fixed payment date for these monthly outgoings if the customer so wishes. In consultation with municipalities, we will work towards simplification and providing a basic level of supplementary municipal schemes, so that people are able to make ends meet, whatever postcode area they live in. This will also make it easier for people to understand the range of schemes offered and to apply for them. Municipal policies on poverty, debt and reintegration will also become more uniform.

Good quality education and science

Education is the foundation for being able to live in freedom as a member of the community. At school, children and young people acquire skills that build their self-confidence and increase their opportunities to participate fully in society. Good quality education is also vital in order to maintain our standard of living and improve our earning capacity. Yet our children are becoming less proficient in reading, writing and arithmetic, so something needs to change. The Netherlands’ position in international rankings of educational achievement such as PISA is falling. Not only does this mean we are failing to make the most of our children’s talents and to create opportunities for them, it also has repercussions for our future economy and the tight labour market, which needs skilled workers. Already, we have shortages of the skilled professionals needed to build our homes, install solar panels and care for patients. Our universities, which play a crucial role in innovation ecosystems and generating startups and scaleups, are falling in global rankings.

Quality education is a key factor in enabling the Netherlands to continue building a strong economy and society. Schools are not just places of learning – they are communities in their own right and anchors within the wider area. Thousands of teachers, teaching assistants and other education professionals do their work with passion every day. But all too often these same teachers end up leaving the sector because they are dissatisfied with the lack of opportunities for professional and personal development. Pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) needs particular attention, because these are the schools with the greatest teacher shortages and language delays among pupils, while they educate the boys and girls who will grow up to work in sectors with labour shortages. Furthermore, we must ensure the quality of post-secondary education and research if the Netherlands is to maintain a leading position. It is not just about innovation, but also about the capacity of basic research to generate new ideas. It is about attracting and holding onto talented people, whether they come from our own country or abroad. And it is about enabling good ideas to evolve and eventually become successful enterprises.

Quality in the classroom: investing in teachers and basic skills

Good quality starts with good teachers. The government must create the right enabling conditions and do more to direct efforts to improve quality, so that our children will be taught by the best possible teachers. Here is what we aim to do:

Focus on language and arithmetic. We will continue with targeted investment in reading, writing and arithmetic to prevent children from falling behind early in life. Secondary vocational schools (MBO) will have more time to teach occupational skills if gaps in basic skills do not need to be remedied first.
Preventing learning delays also means investing in proven concepts aimed at young children, like preschool/early childhood education as well as enrichment activities at school, financed from municipal funds for compensatory policy. All children must be registered with a primary school from the age of four.
We will make a structural investment in teachers’ professional development. Teachers will be given demonstrably more time for this and for applying proven, effective knowledge to achieve lasting improvements in basic skills, with clear educational attainment objectives. In the longer term, teachers’ professional associations will establish mandatory, ongoing professional development, to achieve continuous quality improvement and ensure that the resources for educational quality are used.
We will ensure that teachers and school leaders are prepared for the future. We will strengthen the role of school leader as an education expert by setting clear competency requirements. We will improve career pathways and prospects, and give teachers scope for specialisation. We will also ensure that expertise is rewarded and outstanding teachers remain in the profession. This in turn will encourage more university-educated teachers to opt for a teaching job in primary education.
We will ensure that investments in education are effective and efficient. Regulatory pressure and administrative tasks take up too much of teachers’ time. The Inspectorate of Education will visit every school at least once every four years, and will also be tasked with monitoring regulatory pressure. We see the regulatory burden calculator developed by the Flemish education inspectorate as a good example of an instrument to structurally reduce regulatory pressure. At the same time, we will ensure scope and stability for educational institutions by providing structural funding, in the form of block grants and by converting other grants into permanent resources. These will be targeted and earmarked, so as to improve educational quality.
We will tackle the teacher shortage by making a mid-career switch to teaching more attractive. We will build on sector plans for lateral-entry teachers. We will encourage increases in teachers’ contract hours and shorter teacher training programmes, carry out a pilot study into smaller class sizes and reduce schools’ reliance on freelance and agency staff.
Some children know at a very young age what they want to be when they grow up. Others need more time to discover their talents. That is why we will ensure that each region has a good mix of multilevel and specific transition years (brugklassen) for pupils in the lower years of secondary education. The multilevel transition years grant scheme for secondary education will be revised to ensure a sufficiently comprehensive curriculum in the lower years.
We have high expectations of everyone: pupils, teachers, school administrators and educational consultants. Responsibility lies with everyone who has an impact on the classroom. School administrators will therefore continue working with the professional profile developed by the sector. Accreditation will become the norm. As part of the quality framework for teaching material, a quality mark will be developed for teaching methods related to basic skills, including methods for language-based subjects. In consultation with the sector, we will lay down a quality framework for educational consultants, which will also apply to self-employed consultants.
In addition to these measures, we will establish a National Commission to investigate the decline in pupils’ performance in reading, writing and arithmetic and to recommend long-term solutions.
A solid, standard foundation will underpin all teacher training programmes. Teachers and academics will jointly determine the national core curriculum, which will put more emphasis on basic skills like reading, writing and arithmetic. Teacher training programmes nationwide will use the same method of assessment, so that every new teacher has the same solid foundation on entering the profession. We will devise measures jointly with the sector to boost the number of male teachers. In close consultation with the education sector, we will proceed with the legislative process to provide for learner-differentiated primary teacher training and with the findings of the pilot project, with a view to increasing enrolment in primary teacher training and improving the deployability of teachers.
We are committed to providing appropriate education for every child, based on the principle of inclusive education where possible and special education where necessary. We will look more closely at what children need for their development, and we will allow for more flexibility in the case of children who are at risk of dropout. We encourage every region to offer sufficient educational options catering to gifted learners.
Freedom of education is a fundamental right enshrined in article 23 of our Constitution, and allows parents and children to choose a school whose teaching is in accordance with their religious or ideological beliefs.
Freedom of education may not be misused to undermine the core values of our democratic state governed by the rule of law. Schools have a statutory obligation to provide citizenship education conveying the importance of personal freedom and the equality of all people.
The implementation of the More Scope for New Schools Act has led to unforeseen problems and will therefore be revised as quickly as possible.
Through the Freedom and Safety in Education Bill we will ensure that schools are safe spaces for everyone. The Inspectorate can and will take enforcement action where necessary. We will use proven methods to curb bullying. And we will ensure that these principles are upheld effectively.
We will better support schools in carrying out renovation and building projects. We will use existing instruments and resources, such as the growth fund project, to this end and also study the scope for public-private partnerships, modelled on the system in Flanders.
We will strengthen young people’s civic awareness and engagement, and societal resilience by continuing the community service scheme for young people between 12 and 30 who choose not to do a voluntary military service year.

Vocational and professional education are the backbone of the regional economy

Secondary vocational education (MBO) and higher professional education (HBO) form the economic backbone of our regions. MBO and HBO institutions train the people who keep the wheels of our economy turning. That’s why we’re committed to providing these educational sectors with the stability and appreciation that they deserve. Here is what we aim to do:

We will provide stable and predictable funding to MBO and HBO institutions. This will reduce their dependence on and vulnerability to fluctuations in numbers of incoming Dutch and international students.
Cooperation between educational institutions and the business community will be further strengthened. The MBO Regional Investment Fund will be maintained and expanded, to ensure close alignment between secondary vocational education and the labour market. We will also modernise and harmonise legislation in order to facilitate collaboration between companies and practical training (PRO), pre-vocational secondary schools (VMBO) and MBO schools.
In MBO schools, languages, arithmetic and citizenship classes will be taught by qualified teachers. The grant scheme for practical education will be retained and we will encourage companies to invest in their own specialised training. We will make block or day release courses (BBL) in MBO more attractive by improving supervision and guidance, offering more opportunities throughout the year to start BBL training, and making it easier to switch between school-based vocational training courses (BOL) and BBL. We will also increase the practical training hours for students in the BOL pathway.
We want more applied research. We will strengthen collaboration between MBO, HBO and academic institutions so that knowledge can be applied in the field more quickly. We will continue the process towards a pact on training young people for the labour market of the future.
All students, whether they attend an MBO or HBO institution or university, have equal status. MBO students should be given equal access to facilities for students such as housing, sports clubs and cultural associations, and opportunities for extracurricular activities such as serving on the board of a student association. Active steps will be taken to combat work placement discrimination.

Research and science are the basis for progress

Dutch higher professional education (HBO), universities and research institutions are keystones in our innovation ecosystems. To ensure the Netherlands’ continued international prominence, investment in science will be targeted at research that aims to find solutions to the major challenges of our time. We will also strengthen collaboration and offer better prospects to talented researchers. Here is what we aim to do:

Structural investment in research and science. We will make structural investment in research and science, moving towards the Lisbon target of public and private investment in R&D together equalling 3% of GDP. The government will also increase its contribution to the target by stepping up investment in science and innovation.
A strategy will be developed to select and retain the crucial talent that the Netherlands needs. This will ensure we have enough professionals for sectors facing the greatest challenges and can attract the talented researchers we need for groundbreaking research and innovation.
Universities and HBO institutions (universities of applied science) will be given more scope to attract talented internationals and retain ‘home-grown’ talent. We will abolish the mandatory assessment of courses to be taught in another language than Dutch. We will maintain the current range of courses and subjects not taught in Dutch. We will make binding administrative agreements with higher education institutions regarding the capacity of courses not taught in Dutch and regional capacity, where necessary restricting intake to bachelor’s degree courses taught in English. In addition to these agreements, the Internationalisation in Balance Act will contain provisions on restricted admission of non-EEA students and the option of a temporary enrolment cap in the case of unexpectedly high numbers of students seeking admission to a course.
Higher education institutions need talented internationals in order to maintain regional economic and knowledge ecosystems such as Brainport Eindhoven, Wageningen’s Food Valley and Novio Tech Campus in Nijmegen. We will give them the latitude they need for this.
We will strengthen the role of campuses as springboards for startups, scaleups and partnerships between the fields of education and research and the business sector. Valorisation will be given more prominence, with more new businesses using knowledge to enter the market.
Universities will work together to tackle the challenges of the future. We will invest in research and innovation. In return, we ask universities to focus more on collaboration and specialisation and less on competing to attract the most students. The periodic re-accreditation assessments of bachelor’s and master’s degree courses should look more closely at the extent to which courses meet labour market demand.
Knowledge security must be safeguarded. Research funding from repressive countries can pose a risk to our knowledge security. Knowledge institutions, security services and other government agencies will work together to keep Dutch knowledge secure. We will introduce a knowledge security screening act, so that we can screen prospective researchers and PhD candidates from countries outside the EU in cases where this is necessary. By implementing screening procedures, we will be aligning with knowledge-intensive businesses and international practices.

Good student years prepare talented young people for the future

All students deserve to enjoy their student years – a time that sets them on the way to a bright future. We will encourage students to pursue academic excellence and make the most of their student years. We also expect educational institutions to deliver quality and to challenge students to grow as individuals. An increasing number of students are struggling with financial insecurity and high academic pressure, resulting in high dropout rates in MBO and concerns about students’ mental wellbeing. We risk losing students this way, despite this being a time of severe labour market shortages. We will therefore invest in students’ financial security and pay closer attention to their mental wellbeing. Here is what we aim to do:

We will strengthen students’ financial position. We will increase the basic grant for students living away from home, cap the interest rate for student loans at 2.5% and improve the financial position of BBL students.
Through the talent strategy we aim to provide more guidance to help prospective students choose what to study, by providing better information about employment opportunities, ensuring courses are better aligned with the labour market and promoting MBO certificates as fully-fledged qualifications.
We will invest in students’ mental wellbeing and resilience. Educational institutions will be given scope to provide effective support and counselling, including through student psychologists. We will actively encourage initiatives by students and young people themselves, and take measures to reduce the dropout rate in MBO.
We will introduce a statutory work-placement allowance. Together with educational institutions we will examine the feasibility of setting up a work-placement fund for sectors with labour shortages and make agreements on job guarantees.
Employers will have more scope to help employees pay off their student loan faster using the work-related costs scheme.

Media and culture

Press freedom and cultural freedom are both fundamental to a free democracy. We are firmly committed to the independence of the media, the safety of journalists and artistic freedom. Here is what we aim to do:

We will draft a comprehensive media policy that promotes diversity of content in the media landscape, consisting of both public and commercial broadcasters. In response to the steady decline in viewers of linear television, the public service broadcaster NPO is focusing its efforts on digitalisation with a view to reaching younger audiences, closer cooperation with commercial parties and coproductions. We will continue the process of reform, aimed at increasing the transparency and efficiency of NPO in its coordinating role. The various broadcasting associations on public television will partner up to form four broadcasting groups, with NOS/NTR forming a fifth, separate group.
We will streamline management within the groups by prohibiting double roles. Executive roles can be held for a maximum of two four-year terms. Broadcasting associations will be embedded in the governance structure of the broadcasting groups. The degree to which they are embedded in Dutch society will be determined by the size of their membership as well as their reach on digital and traditional channels, and their public value. Closer collaboration with NPO will lead to stronger regional and local broadcasters.
We will continue to provide targeted investment for professional development of public service broadcasters, independent and regional reporting and press freedom.
To preserve a level playing field for commercial and public broadcasters and media, we will compensate for the NPO’s task of raising additional advertising income.
We will review the financing system for the cultural sector. The aim is to provide long-term certainty to creative makers and cultural institutions, with due consideration for a fair regional distribution. We will reduce the regulatory burden in the cultural sector.
We will foster culture and the arts – from world-class orchestras and museums to vibrant folk art and traditions. Cultural policy will pay specific attention to talent development, music schools and a good distribution of cultural organisations across the country.
We will boost public libraries nationwide. Libraries are not just places for borrowing books, but also for getting help with overcoming functional illiteracy, navigating the digital world and language learning.
We are proud of our languages and dialects, and will support and promote the preservation of our national languages, regional languages and dialects.

Equal rights

The Netherlands has a proud tradition of tolerance and equality. We will continue our efforts to ensure that everyone can be open about who they are. Here is what we aim to do:

On the basis of the Rainbow Agreement, we will continue to work for acceptance, safety and equal opportunities for the LGBTQI+ community, in the public space, in schools and in the workplace, both in the Netherlands and abroad. We will implement this agreement carefully by means of legislation (including private members’ bills) and policy.
People with a disability are too often dependent on the government. The government should set an example in order to promote an accessible society in which everyone is able to develop their own talents and participate on an equal basis.
With a National Action Plan to stop violence against women we will develop approaches specifically addressing sexually transgressive behaviour, femicide and misogyny.
We will continue the process of developing sound regulations on surrogacy, with due regard for the recommendations set out in the WODC (Research and Data Centre) report on surrogacy, ‘Het gedragen kind’, and the points of concern highlighted in the report of the Committee Investigating Intercountry Adoption in the Past.
The Pay Transparency Act will be introduced, without placing unnecessary administrative burden on businesses.
We have high regard for knowledge institutions and civil society organisations that operate in the field of sexual and reproductive health, and will involve them where necessary in the development of new policy.
We will build on the National Strategy for Women’s Health, which is aimed at both women-specific issues and women-sensitive healthcare.
We will continue working towards equal status for women in society, including through initiatives such as ‘Women at the Top’ and placing a spotlight on women role models.

A healthy society

Good health and good care are invaluable. With a good-quality, accessible healthcare system staffed by dedicated and skilled professionals, the Netherlands has much to be proud of. We need to cherish and preserve this, and that is why it is time to look ahead and make better choices for the future.

The sector has always focused strongly on medical treatment. But while the quality of curative care is high, good healthcare is about more than restoring people to health. People want to be able to participate in life, even if they have an illness or disability. Quality of life, mental resilience and social support therefore deserve to be given centre stage. Currently, however, the environment where people grow up is a factor that determines their health. There are too many people who have no access to a general practitioner (GP) or do not have a regular GP – despite the important advantages of a GP knowing the patient. And it is not always easy to make healthy choices in an environment where the circumstances and available options are often unhealthy.

With a stronger focus both on prevention and wellbeing and on new treatment methods and technologies, we aim to increase people’s healthy life years, so that they can enjoy their lives, continue to work and stay independent for longer. We must make better use of the opportunities available to us, because a healthier society is not only happier, but also more robust and productive.

Demographic ageing is putting pressure on our health and care system, but it also presents an opportunity. More and more people are staying fit well into old age. They are also living at home longer and eager to keep taking part in society. We can support these trends with smart technologies, suitable housing and strong, caring communities. Not only will this ensure older people receive the care they need, it will also make care jobs more attractive.

Reforms will be needed to make all this happen. If we do not take action, the combination of ever-increasing demand, demographic ageing and staff shortages will cause the healthcare sector to collapse. Staff are reaching the limits of what they can do, and more and more people are having to wait too long to receive the care they need or are not receiving it at all. This is unacceptable. By stepping in and making tough choices now, we will be able to safeguard the quality of care in the future.

In the short term we will take measures to improve the accessibility, quality and affordability of our healthcare system. A National Commission on health and care will make recommendations for reforms to ensure the system remains financially viable in the long term in the face of demographic ageing and staff shortages.

We are opting for a joint approach. Together with clients and patients, their families and carers, and volunteers and professionals in the health and care domains, we will build a society where preventing illness and loneliness comes first, where we remind people of their own responsibility, where we aim for social wellbeing and where good care is always available for those who need it. These are our proposals:

Prevention is better than cure

We are working on creating the healthiest generation ever. And the basis for good health is not found in hospitals, but in people’s daily lives: at home, at school, at work and in the neighbourhood where they live. A healthy environment and strong social ties help increase people’s healthy life years and enhance quality of life, thus contributing to a robust and resilient society. This will also reduce health disparities and the burden on health and care, and enable people to work for longer, whether in care or another sector. All this demands a fundamental shift in focus from care to health, from treatment to prevention and from individual solutions to a strong social foundation. We will look for solutions both within and outside the sector. Tackling problematic debt and ensuring a healthy living environment, for instance, also contribute to better health. Here is what we aim to do:

We will invest in prevention and welfare to create the healthiest generation ever. We will ensure prevention efforts pay off once more, focusing on children’s health, and promoting daily exercise, and sports for everyone, including people with a disability. We will make unhealthy choices less attractive. And part of the return on these measures will be spent on steps to improve health. Free fruit will be distributed to children at primary and secondary schools. We will tighten legislation on marketing directed at children. A community-based approach will ensure that healthy choices are available to vulnerable groups too. By investing in social cohesion we will create caring communities. We will invest in renovating sports facilities, also making them more energy efficient, for instance by increasing funding for the incentive scheme for the construction and maintenance of sports facilities (BOSA). We will also create more places for children to play outdoors. We will invest in the Solid Start (Kansrijke Start) action programme aimed at improving care and support for vulnerable or struggling families. We will continue initiatives aimed at a tobacco-free generation and raise the legal age for buying products containing nicotine to 21. Keeping stocks of illegal vapes will be made a criminal offence, and there will be a greater focus on enforcement.
The role of volunteers and informal carers is crucial in a caring community. We will continue supporting informal carers with facilities for respite care.
We will extend the healthcare agreements and include provisions on volume growth. We will also bolster these agreements with legislation.

Medical care

The quality of care provided by Dutch hospitals is outstanding. To maintain this, healthcare needs to be more patient-centred. At the moment, it pays for hospitals to perform as many interventions as possible, regardless of whether patients benefit from them. Healthcare should improve patients’ health and quality of life. Here is what we aim to do:

Appropriate care is the norm, including in terms of care entitlement. We will implement this faster, so that reimbursement will only be given for therapies and procedures with proven value for patients. Stricter statutory requirements will be laid down with regard to the conditions, quality and development of professional guidelines. The National Health Care Institute (ZIN) will be given a bigger role in this.
Incentives that encourage unnecessary treatment will be curtailed. Proven effective treatments and procedures will take precedence in insurance coverage, the organisation of care and funding. There will still be scope for new medical technologies and treatments, but they will be assessed more stringently in terms of proven effectiveness and the extent to which they contribute to appropriate care.
Insurers will be given both freedom and responsibility in this regard, with better collaboration between primary and secondary care providers. The government’s role will focus more actively on shaping the future care landscape, steering distribution and concentration processes and, if necessary, laying down stricter requirements for licensing. We will also work on creating a more level playing field between hospitals and independent treatment centres.
The focus on appropriate care also means ending reimbursement for non-contracted healthcare. There will be a transitional period, with due attention paid to staff retention. Insurers must contract sufficient capacity with care providers for care covered by the basic package, offer a restitution policy (e.g. for treatment abroad), and enforce cooperation, to ensure that appropriate care becomes the norm.
To prevent increases in health insurance premiums, the current mandatory excess will be maintained and index-linked. The excess will be increased by €60 as of 2027. We will ensure people never have to pay the entire excess all at once, introducing a cap of €150 per treatment.
While these reforms aim to ensure that healthcare remains accessible to all, extra attention will go to reducing the financial and practical burden on people with chronic disease or a disability. We will provide an allowance towards their healthcare costs, via the municipality, and we will stop the unnecessary periodic assessments that only serve to reaffirm that someone still has a chronic condition or disability. The Municipalities Fund will receive extra money for this and we will make national, binding agreements with municipalities to ensure that schemes are simpler, more effective and more equal.
This shift also means we will strengthen and improve access to primary care, notably GPs. Some regions in particular face a shortage of GPs, and we will work to reduce this problem. We will also continue joint initiatives with municipalities to help GPs find suitable accommodation for their practices.
We will continue with undiminished efforts to combat medicines shortages. To this end, we will encourage more production of medicines in Europe, and work to reduce overmedication and wastage.
Appropriate care is inclusive care. We will ensure that proven, effective treatment reaches the people who actually need it, regardless of their background. With regard to both women-sensitive and women-specific healthcare, we will invest in expanding the available therapies and medicines.

Long-term care and care for people with disabilities

Every person who needs long-term care is unique, but what they have in common is that everyone prefers to be cared for in their own, familiar surroundings. This care could be provided by a neighbour, a family member or a professional carer. Informal carers are the cornerstone of a society in which people look out for each other. The day-to-day care they provide is also crucial for the continuity and quality of care, complementing and relieving the pressure on professional care. Recognition and support for the work of informal carers helps reinforce their own wellbeing as well as that of the person they are caring for.

Guided foremost by the principles of quality of life and ageing with dignity, we will therefore invest in caring communities and in deploying professional carers and resources as efficiently as possible. Here is what we aim to do:

We will shift the focus of investment from intramural care to developing caring communities, so that older people and people with disabilities can live at home for longer with appropriate support. We will keep accommodation and care as separate components in elderly care provision, and will work towards a single care package for home-based care and separate components for living accommodation, temporary care accommodation and care. This will lead to new forms of housing in caring communities, focused on social connection, combating loneliness and looking out for each other.
We will implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with a view to improving the care for and quality of life of people with disabilities.
The Long-term Care Act will be implemented more efficiently thanks to appropriate care, quality standards and corresponding rates.

Youth care

In the Netherlands we want children to grow up healthy, happy and resilient. This is primarily the task of parents and guardians, supported by ‘pedagogical civil society’. Currently one in seven children receive some form of youth care. The system is heavily institutionalised and too focused on helping children with mild problems – which is more profitable for care providers – sometimes impeding timely interventions for children with complex care needs. The sector is also too fragmented, with a large number of buyers and providers, and not enough continuity of care for children and families. Too often, care is based on the system, not the needs of a child and their family. Here is what we aim to do:

Too often, youth care services cater to problems that do not in fact fall in the care domain. For instance, children who are struggling because their parents have problems, such as a divorce or debts, should be referred to social services, the authority best equipped to deal with these types of issues.
In youth care, we will make adjustments to the scope of entitlements, clearly distinguishing between prevention, mild support needs / parenting support, and problems requiring specialist care. Assistance with mild support needs or parenting support will no longer be financed or organised collectively. Appropriate care will be the norm, and where possible reimbursement will only be provided for proven effective interventions.
Not the system but the position of the children and families will be the leading factor in deciding what is needed. We will reform the way youth care is organised and financed, aiming to minimise the number of parties involved in the care system, and ensuring capacity, in terms of personnel and funding, is available for children with complex needs. We will phase out incentives for care providers to focus on milder interventions and move towards outcome-based management.
We will continue with the reform of youth care, in the interests of children.

Mental healthcare

Mental difficulties are a part of life. Family, friends, neighbours and people at school or work can all be sources of support. Professional help isn’t always necessary. But specialised care should be available to those who truly need it. Nobody wants to have to wait months for help if they have serious mental health problems. With a more coherent and collaborative approach, people will not get caught in a confusing web of healthcare rules, schemes and offices. Here is what we aim to do:

We will focus on preventing mental health problems in young people and adults. Early interventions can prevent difficulties from spiralling. We will invest in mental resilience programmes at school, at work and in the community. We will reform the way mental healthcare is organised and financed, ensuring sufficient capacity, in terms of personnel and funding, is available to help people with complex mental health problems. We will phase out incentives for care providers to focus on milder interventions and move toward outcome-based management.
The way the different laws are applied will be coordinated more centrally, so that people do not fall between the cracks when one law stops being applicable to their situation, and they must apply for support under another law instead (for instance, when they legally become an adult). We will continue to seek greater insight into the demand for care in order to be able to set priorities better. We want more scope for mayors to order care interventions for people avoiding care or presenting psychologically distressed or misunderstood behaviour. This will also help to alleviate the pressure on the police.

We will achieve these reforms by implementing the programmes ‘Working in health and care’ (Werken in de zorg), ‘Data exchange and smart use of technology’ (Goede gegevensuitwisseling en slimme inzet van technologie) and ‘Money for healthcare goes to healthcare’ (Geld voor zorg naar zorg).

Working in health and care

Health workers are the backbone of the health and care sector, but the shortages on the labour market require us to rethink how we train, deploy and retain these professionals. Here is what we aim to do:

Current health professionals will be deployed more efficiently, by organising tasks better, reducing the administrative burden and providing more scope for innovation and professional autonomy. Having time to do what they are trained for – providing the best possible care to those who need it – will also make it more appealing for staff to work more hours.
We need to train professionals for the care domains where they are needed most. Education and training will give more attention to non-hospital careers. We will also increase training places in primary care, home care nursing, elderly care and the social domain. We will make it easier to transfer to a new job in another care domain.
Aggression and intimidation towards health workers is unacceptable and any such incidents will be dealt with robustly.

Data exchange and smart use of technology

Deploying new technologies and digital consultation will reduce the administrative burden on health professionals and contribute to better diagnostics and smart healthcare, giving professionals more time to see clients, patients and families.
We will put in place a data exchange infrastructure with nationwide coverage, supporting collaboration between health workers and where relevant the social domain. Such an infrastructure will also enable good-quality research in the field of patient care.

Money for healthcare goes to healthcare

We will take tough action against fraudulent use of healthcare funds and lay down clear, stricter standards on responsible business conduct in the sector. This will also include rules to curb the excesses associated with private equity firms in healthcare. In this way we will ensure that every euro earmarked for healthcare is well spent, giving priority to the accessibility and quality of healthcare and patients’ interests. Here is what we aim to do:

We will ensure that the Healthcare Fraud Information Hub (IKZ) can share more information with relevant partners, so that healthcare fraud can be detected more quickly.
We will step up the prosecution of fraudsters and if found guilty they will be banned from working in healthcare.
Supervisory authorities will be given more powers, for instance to temporarily halt takeovers or take enforcement action against questionable business arrangements. The Chamber of Commerce will introduce stricter requirements for setting up a healthcare business.
A police task force on healthcare fraud will be established.

Medical ethics

There must be scope for carrying out medical research and applying the findings, but this scope is not unlimited. It is controlled by laws that also have a medical-ethical dimension. By extension, caution will prevail over speed when it comes to making political decisions on medical-ethical issues. These issues revolve around values such as autonomy, the need to protect human life and advances in medical research. They require careful and respectful debate, giving due consideration to social dialogue, recommendations by the Health Council of the Netherlands, ethical reflection and legislative evaluations.
We will issue a government response to the recommendations of the Health Council of the Netherlands concerning the 14-day rule in the Embryo Act. In line with Rathenau Instituut’s advisory opinion, the government will seek to engage in a social dialogue about this issue.

The Netherlands as a leader in a digital world

Digitalisation and AI are crucial for innovation, economic growth, the tight labour market and future prosperity, but they also directly impact our security, freedom, democracy and the rule of law. The Netherlands can excel in this area by becoming a leader in responsible innovation with strong ecosystems for knowledge, investment and enterprise. With this in mind we need to invest in a strong and independent Dutch and European tech sector. This not only makes sense from an economic perspective, but is also essential for our democracy and national security.

There is a need for more control and democratic oversight. When it comes to crucial digital infrastructure, the Netherlands and Europe have become highly dependent on a small number of international players. This makes us vulnerable in a world where technology is increasingly being used as an instrument of geopolitical power. That vulnerability is real: on a daily basis the Netherlands is subjected to cyberattacks by both state and non-state actors. This is another reason why the Netherlands must become a leader in responsible digital innovation and develop strong Dutch and European capabilities. This requires a government that demonstrates leadership, consciously embraces technology, knowledge and talent, and systematically boosts digital resilience in order to phase out strategic dependencies in a targeted way.

Digital government and society

The government’s digital services must be reliable, accessible, efficient and resilient. Even now, the opportunities presented by digitalisation to bring about a more efficient government are still not being taken advantage of to a sufficient extent. We intend to do things differently. Here is what we aim to do:

The government’s guiding principle should be digital autonomy. We will opt for a European digital infrastructure, phasing out strategic dependencies in cloud, data and critical systems in a targeted way, and we will divide up major projects in order to enable more Dutch and European SMEs to become involved.
Digital procurement and contract award procedures will be standardised and centralised, shaped by the principles of security-by-design, zero trust, sovereignty, open source and chain security. The government will use its market power to enforce security standards and draw up minimum security requirements for the whole of central government.
In order to be eligible for funding, government IT projects (> €5 million) must be assessed against centralised IT standards.
We will strengthen the government’s technological capacity by introducing a competitive salary scale for IT specialists and by training civil servants in technology and the use of AI.
Government services will be designed in an accessible and comprehensible way so they can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. We will ensure that there are an adequate number of helplines and physical help desks.

Digital technology as a driver of economic growth

Digital infrastructure and key technologies will determine our future earning capacity. The Netherlands has a strong starting position, but Europe is losing ground in terms of its global competitiveness, which is causing greater dependence on the US and China. Targeted choices with regard to upscaling, innovation and conditionality are necessary in order to safeguard our economic growth and strategic position. Here is what we aim to do:

We will work to craft a national approach to digital infrastructure focused on knowledge, research and innovation, in order to get new technologies off the ground more quickly.
The Netherlands will be a leader in digital innovation and key technologies. When it comes to the development of key technologies such as AI, we will no longer be a ‘pilot country’ but rather a ‘scaleup country’.
We will encourage the construction of autonomous European data centres and an AI factory in the northern Netherlands. We will build a digitally resilient society on the basis of an ecosystem approach, in which the government, the educational sector and the business community will take a step forward so that everyone can reap the full benefits of artificial intelligence.
We will educate young people, from children to university students, on cybersecurity and digital skills and strengthen public-private educational pathways.
Public-private investments will focus on applications with both economic and security value (AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum and photonics), with an emphasis on scalability, productivity and adoption in critical sectors. We will reinforce our position in the semiconductor industry and work to build a quantum computer in the Netherlands.
We will make sure the Netherlands remains an attractive location for innovative companies by accelerating procedures for digital infrastructure, with due regard for security and the human environment.

Digital resilience

Cyberattacks, digital espionage and disinformation pose direct threats to our economy, democracy and national security. This threat emanates from state actors, cybercriminals and large-scale influencing campaigns, and with the use of AI, it is becoming faster, smarter and more scalable. Critical sectors, the government and semi-governmental bodies must therefore be cyber resilient, so we can prevent societal disruption. Here is what we aim to do:

We will ensure the rapid implementation of the NIS 2 Directive on cyber resilience, so that our critical sectors are prepared for cyber threats and can respond swiftly.
In line with the advice given by the Cyber Security Council, we will ensure centralised control of cybersecurity to prevent fragmentation from leading to vulnerability.
We will prepare actively for large-scale cyberattacks, conducting exercises that involve the government, SMEs and critical sectors, encouraging ethical hackers and fostering the targeted exchange of threat information between the public and private sectors.
We will use the Cybersecurity Act to boost companies’ resilience to cyber threats and strengthen the statutory basis that allows intelligence services to systematically share information with private firms.
We will seek to gain insight into and phase out strategic technological dependencies, by conducting national stress tests on risks of national importance and by pursuing an unbundling strategy which includes European alternatives, procurement guidelines and shared best practices. In order to protect our national security, we will continue to bar digital hardware originating from high-risk countries in critical sectors.
Supervisory authorities will be given sufficient freedom to attract talent and to innovate, so that legislation can also be enforced effectively.

A safe and healthy online environment

The internet must be a safe and healthy environment, particularly for children and young people. In today’s online world, addictive algorithms, harmful content and inadequate moderation give rise to risks such as addiction, intimidation, abuse and fraud. To address these issues and protect our democracy, we will set clear limits and strengthen oversight. Here is what we aim to do:

We will press for an enforceable, Europe-wide minimum age of 15 for social media with privacy-friendly age verification for young people, for as long as social media is not adequately safe. There will be stricter supervision of major online platforms, with mandatory transparency about algorithms and income, and with effective moderation of illegal content. Addictive, polarising and anti-democratic algorithms will be banned, and illegal content will have to be taken down within one hour after the supervisory authority has issued an order to that effect. We will work together with other leading countries in Europe to this end.
We will reduce unhealthy screen time among children and young people, through better education, clear health guidelines and support for local parents’ initiatives. Parents will be given viewing advice for online channels.
We will protect vulnerable groups better, with stricter rules for ‘kidfluencing’, ‘finfluencing’, marketing that targets children, in-game purchases and ‘buy now, pay later’ practices. We will crack down on online abuse.
We will introduce stricter mobile phone guidelines for schools. During the school day, telephones will have to be left at home or placed in lockers, though necessary exceptions will be possible.
We will address the issue of deepfakes (including those of a sexual nature) by updating legislation to give people more control over their likeness, body and voice. We will establish a centralised, accessible reporting centre where victims can receive better help, for example with takedown requests and criminal complaints.
Actions that are illegal offline are not acceptable online either. Content depicting criminal offences will not be tolerated online, except in a journalistic context. We will investigate whether such content can be prohibited or removed.
We will strengthen our approach to online fraud, step up public-private cooperation, and work to improve prevention and support for victims in the handling of compensation claims.

Investing in accessibility, water management and the environment

Infrastructure and accessibility

Good infrastructure is the foundation for economic success, ensuring that everyone can reach their workplace, family and new neighbourhoods by road, rail or water. New priorities need to be set in relation to all the tasks we currently face, from infrastructure maintenance to the construction of new roads and railway lines. Here is what we aim to do:

Many bridges, tunnels, railways and locks are nearing the end of their lifespan. To keep the Netherlands safe, accessible and economically strong, maintenance will be given priority when allocating available funds in the years ahead. We will draw on strategic dual-use opportunities with the Defence organisation, and where possible link maintenance to improvements in road safety, regional accessibility and traffic flow.
We will invest in the delivery of new infrastructure for housing developments. In prioritising new infrastructure projects, preference will be given to projects that demonstrably contribute to housing development, accessibility and economic growth.
In addition, we will make extra funds available for several priority projects. We will also restart the 17 paused road, waterway and rail projects. These are crucial for addressing the housing shortage and improving regional accessibility.
We will ensure that infrastructure investments contribute to homebuilding and economic growth in all regions. In this way, we will improve road safety, access to housing developments and traffic flow on our roads.
The planned A27 motorway expansion near Utrecht Lunetten will be achieved within the existing motorway structure, preferably under the current planning procedures order, in consultation with the region. The funds released by this will partly be invested in improving traffic flow in the Utrecht region. More than €1 billion will go to other major priority traffic projects.
If we do nothing, driving will become increasingly unaffordable for many people in the Netherlands. We will therefore extend the reduction of excise duty on automotive fuels. We will also investigate a future-proof reform of car taxation, where the motor vehicle tax is based on vehicle measurements, on the condition that motorists are not disadvantaged. Possible effects on people and businesses in rural regions must also be taken into account.
Bicycles are both a practical and healthy mode of transport. We will therefore implement the National Cycling Strategy and ensure that public transport hubs are accessible by bicycle.

Traffic safety

We will make the Netherlands safer for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Selfish and reckless behaviour in traffic will be tackled through stricter enforcement and behaviour change campaigns. Here is what we aim to do:

We will introduce a separate vehicle category for fat bikes, including a minimum age and helmet requirement, and give municipalities the option of creating fat bike-free zones.
We will implement a zero-tolerance policy towards driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We will increase enforcement, impose heavier penalties, introduce the alcohol interlock system, and tighten the points-based licence system. As soon as possible after new validated drug tests become available, we will start using them in roadside checks.
Together with municipalities, we will improve road safety by installing more speed cameras at unsafe locations and deploying mobile speed cameras. Together with municipalities we will also examine where reducing the maximum speed to 30kph in built-up areas would be worthwhile.

Rail and public transport

For many people, public transport is indispensable. We are therefore working towards a rail and public transport network in which access to services is central. Public transport must remain a serious alternative to the car. Here is what we aim to do:

Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) will hold the concession for the main rail network until 2033. The concession includes firm agreements on many aspects aimed at ensuring high-quality passenger rail services. Interim adjustments can be made where necessary, for instance with regard to the minimum standards per route for seating availability, punctuality and overall customer satisfaction.
The government will decide by early 2027 on the future market regulation of the rail sector after 2033. This decision will include whether and how a market analysis will be performed.
We will create space for innovative new rail operators, specifically for night trains and international rail connections. At the perimeter of the main rail network we will also create space for regional operators, particularly if they can serve stations with a minimum of two trains per hour. The interests of passengers and their need for a dependable service will remain paramount.
We will enable special enforcement officers working in public transport to tackle antisocial behaviour effectively. To this end, they will have access to the aliens database and, under certain conditions, to the criminal justice system database. The starting point is that any train conductor who wishes to do so can become an enforcement officer in public transport. The Rotterdam RET pilot projects, in which transport operators and police cooperate much more closely, will be rolled out nationwide.
A tougher approach to fare evasion, with higher fines, stricter enforcement and actual collection of amounts owed, will help keep public transport affordable and reliable.

Aviation

Aviation and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s hub function are important for the Dutch economy. At the same time, aviation places a burden on the environment, climate and quality of life in surrounding areas. We will strike a balance by clearly delineating the scope for aviation. Here is what we aim to do:

Lelystad Airport will be brought into operation as an air force base for the Defence organisation with joint civil/military use. Provided the airport complies with all legal requirements, including obtaining a nature permit, it will also be able to open for commercial air traffic, initially with 10,000 flight movements.
The Airport Traffic Decree will introduce a limit of 478,000 flight movements for Schiphol. To reduce noise nuisance, a new balanced approach procedure will establish that Schiphol must be 50% quieter between 23.00 and 07.00 by 2030, compared with 2024. This will include closure at night between 00.00 and 05.00. Schiphol will invest €50 million in a fund to insulate homes in the vicinity of the airport. Total CO₂ emissions from civil aviation at Schiphol and Lelystad Airport combined must be lower in 2030 than at Schiphol in 2024.
We will advocate a single European aviation tax across all EU countries instead of a national ticket tax. This will create a level playing field that rewards airlines for using cleaner aircraft types and taking other sustainability measures. Together with the sector, the Netherlands will expand the blending mandates for sustainable aviation fuels and stimulate the production of these fuels in the Netherlands.

Water and the environment

We will choose ambitious, forward-looking policy on the environment and water, taking the Clean Air Agreement as our starting point. Structural measures will achieve lasting improvement in water quality. Here is what we aim to do:

With regard to the revision of the Water Framework Directive, the Netherlands will press for simplification, aiming for a directive that is ambitious yet realistic and that provides scope for working with relevant water partners on concrete plans to improve the quality of our water and reduce the risks of water pollution.
We will safeguard the availability of clean drinking water now and in the future by implementing the Water Availability Action Plan.
We will continue working on flood safety, implementing the Delta Programme and reviewing the Delta Decisions.
Our spatial planning decisions will be focused on the long term. In the National Spatial Strategy, water and soil are lead considerations.
PFAS pose significant risks to human health and the environment. The Netherlands will take the lead in advocating a European ban on PFAS. In the meantime, we will work with stakeholders to reduce consumer demand for products containing PFAS and help consumers choose PFAS-free alternatives. We will examine whether and how a short-term discharge ban can be introduced.
Environmental pollution by substances of very high concern will be addressed by critically reviewing existing discharge permits and tightening them where necessary. New discharge permits will be issued only under strict conditions and based on the best available techniques.

Healthy public finances

Healthy public finances are important for macroeconomic stability and ensure a good investment climate. Thanks to its prudent fiscal policy, the Netherlands has a high credit rating. This means it can borrow at low rates of interest, which creates scope for investment. This contributes to economic growth, which is needed so that our public services can be paid for. This is why we believe it is important that our public finances remain in good shape and that no bills are passed on to future generations. Sustainable public finances are an essential precondition for the broad-based prosperity of future generations. They are also an important insurance policy against unforeseen situations such as pandemics or crises, so that people and businesses can be protected in an emergency. We are therefore proposing measures to improve the sustainability of the budget. We will do that by controlling expenditure on healthcare and social security, and by taking measures to make government work more efficiently and effectively. We aim to raise earning capacity by means of targeted investments that remove barriers to sustainable economic growth. In combination with sufficient space for the market sector, these targeted investments will provide a stimulus for a reduction in regulatory pressure and a stronger European capital markets union, with a view to achieving higher structural and sustainable economic growth. Sustainable economic growth will also result in healthier public finances.

Fiscal rules

We will follow the fiscal rules proposed by the 18th Working Group on Fiscal Space and laid down in the Sustainable Public Finances Act. We will therefore pursue a trend-based fiscal policy, involving a separation of revenue and expenditure, a predetermined expenditure and revenue framework, and a single fixed moment in spring for key decision-making. In accordance with the rules on budgetary discipline, setbacks will in the first instance be absorbed within the budget in which they occur. Windfalls can be used to offset setbacks or will flow back to general public funds. If setbacks cannot be absorbed within the expenditure framework, planned expenditure will not be able to go ahead or supplementary downward adjustments will be necessary. If there is no other alternative, the wage and price adjustment can be withheld to avoid exceeding the expenditure framework. On the revenue side of the budget, setbacks will likewise be covered. Increases in expenditure or decreases in revenue will have to be offset by corresponding amounts. As recommended by the Working Group on Fiscal Space, the expenditure framework will be adjusted for cyclical expenditure on unemployment benefit and social assistance benefit that does not stem from policy.

If the financial picture shows that net windfalls are structural in nature and the EMU balance is lower than the deficit recommended by the Working Group on Fiscal Space on a multiyear basis (-2% GDP), one third of these net windfalls may be used for tax reduction measures, one third for investment in further strengthening the Netherlands’ earning capacity, and one third for repayment of the national debt, provided the European limit for the national debt is not exceeded (windfall formula).

In budget documents a greater distinction will be made between expenditure on consumption and investments, so that the benefits of investments can be seen more clearly. In addition, in accordance with the recommendations of the Working Group on Fiscal Space, a proposal will be drawn up for extending the budget horizon to eight years so that the long-term perspective is better reflected in fiscal policy.

European public finances

The Netherlands will also adhere to the EU fiscal rules laid down in the Stability and Growth Pact, including the limits that apply to the budget deficit and the national debt. Deviation from the prescribed net expenditure path will only be possible if the EMU balance and the EMU debt remain within the applicable limits under EU rules. In addition, reforms will be carried out to achieve structural reductions in expenditure and improve debt sustainability in the longer term.

The Netherlands profits from a strong European economy and a stable eurozone. All EU member states must respect the limits agreed in the Stability and Growth Pact. Member states that do not do so pay a higher rate of interest and have a lower credit rating. Responsibility for national budgets lies primarily with the member states concerned. Therefore the Netherlands does not act as a guarantor for the national debts of other countries (eurobonds). Subject to certain conditions, the Netherlands will take a constructive stance on using existing instruments for joint investments, as already occurs via the European Investment Bank (EIB), macro-financial assistance (MFA) and the Ukraine Facility, where countries guarantee only their own share in the capital (GNI key). Joint defence investments can be channelled via the existing European Defence Fund and the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument. The Netherlands will also explore opportunities for intergovernmental cooperation aimed at the joint procurement of defence equipment, the harmonisation of product standards and joint defence projects. This will be done in close collaboration with NATO partners, such as the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada.

The development of a modern and future-oriented EU budget will continue. The budget must have a stronger focus on enhanced European competitiveness, a robust migration and asylum policy, security and defence. In order to ensure that the Netherlands’ net payment position does not worsen, the national reduction in contributions to the EU budget must remain in place.

Investment

A national investment institution (NII) will be set up to strengthen the Dutch capital market. This institution will operate at a remove from the political arena, and will be aimed at private investments, co-investments or loans and will not crowd out private capital. The investment institution will work with market-based required rates of return and therefore focus on projects with a positive business case for which finance proves impossible to obtain in the market because, for example, of higher risks or a lack of available venture capital. This occurs for example in larger funding rounds of startups and scaleups. A unit that can serve as a successor to the current National Growth Fund will be added to the NII. The proceeds from the proposed privatisation of state-owned enterprises can supply the investment institution’s core capital. On the basis of the above criteria, these capital contributions are in principle not relevant to the EMU balance, but will increase the EMU debt. Only the institution’s operating result will weigh on the balance.

Reform of the tax and supplementary benefits system

Our tax and benefits system and other income and insurance schemes are in need of reform. The coexistence of many different income-related schemes with different definitions and conditions has made for a very opaque and unpredictable system. We will continue to simplify and make improvements where possible and will ensure that we get the fundamentals in order. But we will also set long-term objectives which we will work towards. Several tracks will therefore be pursued in parallel:

1. Step-by-step simplification of the tax, social security and benefits system, and further measures to simplify implementation. This will mean, among other things:

harmonising concepts and conditions for income-support schemes including social security and supplementary benefits (toeslagen)
bringing the implementation of supplementary benefits under the Work and Income (Implementation) Structure Act (Wet structuur uitvoeringsorganisatie werk en inkomen), so that information can be exchanged between implementing bodies and service provision can be improved
reducing non-take-up and the risk of repayment demands by providing a proactive service, including working towards the automatic payment of supplementary benefits
gradually reducing the multiplicity of income-related schemes in the tax system, starting with tax credits (heffingskortingen)
merging child benefit (kinderbijslag) and supplementary child benefit (kindgebonden budget) into a single child benefit scheme, with a higher fixed amount and lower variable amount
examining how the complexity resulting from the 21 forms of joint household recognised under the General Old Age Pensions Act (Algemene Ouderdomswet; AOW) can be overcome
abolishing childcare benefit and replacing it with direct funding.

2. The government will prioritise completing the modernisation of the IT landscape within the Tax Administration and the Benefits Office and resolving staffing issues. This should clear the way for the implementation in practice of a concrete reform scenario.

3. Before the end of 2026, the government will present a reform agenda with specific milestones to be achieved by set times, starting with the reform of the income tax system and specific steps to be taken in relation to the supplementary benefit system, other income schemes and social security. The reform process will be underpinned by the following principles: keeping implementation simple, ensuring rules are clear and predictable for people, ensuring that work pays, and avoiding further income redistribution through the tax system.

The minister whose portfolio covers tax affairs will have primary responsibility for advancing the reform agenda, in cooperation with the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment.

Supplementary benefits

Confidence in the government among parents who suffered the consequences of the failings in the childcare benefit system has been seriously damaged. Redress for the financial loss and emotional distress they have experienced is urgently needed. Action to follow up on the lessons that emerged from the parliamentary inquiry and the parliamentary committee is therefore warranted. In order to complete the operation to redress the consequences of the serious failings in the childcare benefit system as soon as possible, all possible steps will be taken to:

process claims for financial loss
help municipalities fulfil their responsibility to provide broad-based support to parents
establish a space for emotional recovery
provide better-targeted support through the scheme set up to help the children affected (kindregeling).

A designated minister will be appointed for the duration of the childcare benefit redress operation so that it can be completed as soon as possible.