News item | 20-06-2025 | 15:20
The Netherlands stands for numerous social challenges, all of which require space. The space for business parks is also under pressure, while the majority of our money is earned on this 2.5% of the Netherlands. We pay for our care, education, infrastructure and safety. The government will therefore ensure sufficient physical economic space. For example, when a business park disappears, this space must come back to another place. This is stated in the Spatial Economic Vision (REV) by Minister Karremans of Economic Affairs to which the Council of Ministers has agreed.
Providing sufficient physical space to various, innovative and productive companies is essential for a future -proof economy. With the Rev, the government wants to strengthen the earning capacity of the economy, create and maintain an attractive business climate, protect national interests and increase the resilience of the economy. The Rev has been announced in the government program and also serves as a building block for the umbrella memorandum of the cabinet that will follow later this year.
Minister Karremans: “This gives the cabinet an important signal to entrepreneurs in the Netherlands. Together with municipalities and provinces, we will commit ourselves to giving companies the space they need to continue to grow, now and in the future. This is essential for the Netherlands: for our jobs and income, but also to not be dependent on countries outside of Europe.”
Principles for sufficient physical space
On the basis of 3 leading principles, the government wants to ensure sufficient physical economic space:
- A coherent spatial system at national and international level is provided. This means that areas with activity that are of national or regional interest are protected, such as (international) seaports and knowledge regions. In these areas, sufficient space is retained for economic activities.
- There remains sufficient and diverse room for economic activities throughout the Netherlands. This means, among other things, that the total room for the economy should not decrease. When a business park disappears, this space must be compensated in a different place. It is also ensured that there is enough space for different types of activities, from port and industry to knowledge clusters and offices. Existing space is better used and strategically expanded.
- The power of the different regions is leading. The unique contribution of the regions to the Dutch economy is being used. The local identity of a region is connected and focus on the opportunities that local characteristics offer, such as the existing activities and location.
Later this year, the cabinet will present the Spatial Planning Memorandum with the long -term vision for the spatial design of the Netherlands. The Rev is one of the building blocks for this bill. In addition, together with provinces, municipalities and business, an implementation agenda will be working in the coming period, which puts the spatial economic vision into practice.