With the presentation of the Action Agendas for the National Technology Strategy (NTS), a blueprint for the future earning capacity of the Netherlands is now on the table. Market parties have made 53 proposals for large-scale innovation programmes in sectors such as AI and quantum. The cost? 14 billion euros.
In early December, Peter Wennink, commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, presented his long-awaited report, a Dutch translation of the well-known Draghi report presented in 2020 to strengthen Europe's competitiveness.
The Wennink report made it clear that substantial investments are necessary to achieve annual economic growth of 1.5 to 2 percent and maintain our prosperity. This would involve investments of between €151 billion and €187 billion additionally through 2035 to solve or reduce problems such as nitrogen, grid congestion, and regulatory burden, as well as to improve the business climate.
In the report, the former ASML CEO identified the four most productive and strategic sectors that should become the economic engine for future prosperity: artificial intelligence, security, biotech, and climate.
Most of the recommendations from the Wennink report have now been supplemented with over 53 proposals for large-scale public-private partnerships to strengthen the Dutch ecosystem through 10 key technologies and thus improve its earning potential.
The National Technology Strategy
In response to the recommendations from both the Draghi Report and the Wennink Report, the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda for Key Technologies (KIA ST) led the effort, in collaboration with over 1,000 different market participants, to develop the 10 Action Agendas that elaborate on the National Technology Strategy (NTS).
Peter Stolk, chairman of the KIA ST and Holland High Tech, discusses the development of the action agendas:
Several factors contributed to the development of this strategy. Following the publication of the Draghi Report, the government developed plans to increase R&D investment to 3 percent of gross domestic product. In addition, the Wennink Report was drafted to map out the preconditions and make concrete proposals to strengthen competitiveness in the Netherlands.
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