The Northern Netherlands is critical of the coalition agreement between D66, VVD and CDA presented on Friday. Although the partnership between the three northern provinces and municipalities is also positive, it is mainly concerned about the future of the Lely Line, the lack of structural investments in regional public facilities and about the national distribution of EU money for companies and knowledge institutions. In response, the Northern Netherlands calls on the cabinet to spread investments ‘in all areas of our country’.
For example, the provinces and municipalities do not agree with the minority cabinet’s intention to distribute EU funds for companies and knowledge institutions at national level, instead of at regional level. According to the Northern Netherlands, this regional distribution is crucial for economic development and innovation in this area, because there is a better insight into what is needed in the region. If this is done by the government, it will limit the contribution that the Northern Netherlands can make to national tasks, the Northern Netherlands states in its response.
The Lely Line was not mentioned in the coalition agreement. Reason for concern for the Northern Netherlands, it writes in the joint response. The 125 kilometer long railway line from Lelystad via Heerenveen and Drachten to Groningen should connect the Northern Netherlands with the Randstad. According to the provinces and municipalities, no clear choice has been made for its construction. Although the coalition agreement reserves money for important infrastructure projects, it does not explicitly state that this money will also be used for the construction of the Lely Line. Without explicit mention, it remains uncertain whether the railway line will be built, say the northern provinces.
In addition to the Lely Line and the distribution of EU funds, the Northern Netherlands is concerned about the lack of structural investments in public facilities in the region. These investments are essential to keep the region vital and liveable, the three northern provinces argue, but there is nothing about this in the coalition agreement. “Improving the distribution of investments in all areas of our country remains necessary to fully utilize the strength of the Netherlands.”
In addition to the criticism of the agreement by the provinces and municipalities, they believe that the agreement is in line with the economic ambitions of the Northern Netherlands for the region. This is how the plans for industrial policy and investments in regional innovation networks fit in. In response to the plans of the minority cabinet, the Northern Netherlands emphasizes that it wants to be at the forefront in, among other things, future-proof energy, agriculture and AI. In the recently presented agreement, D66, VVD and CDA would like to see an AI factory in the Northern Netherlands. The response from the three northern provinces has received a positive response to this plan.
The Northern Netherlands also believes that the coalition agreement takes into account the importance of strong education and research in the region. According to the Northern Netherlands, a strong regional knowledge network is crucial for attracting talent.
