“No separate policy for port of Rotterdam and Schiphol – NU.nl

This is contained in a new opinion from the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure.

“The economy is changing. Other things, such as our digital infrastructure, the knowledge around Eindhoven and the Green Heart, also deserve attention,” said Jan Jaap de Graeff, President of this important advisor to the government .

Netherlands inflated the past quarter century billions of public money into expanding its two ‘main ports. Projects such as the Maasvlakte and infrastructure works around Schiphol were given priority.

Hard figures, however, show that for example the port of Rotterdam is declining. This was about 25 years ago accounted for 6 percent of the Dutch gross domestic product. That was last year just over 3 percent.

Unwise

The Graeff does not think it wise if the government continues to stare blindly at increasing the capacity of the ports. Foreign companies that want to now draw desire here walking around many well trained IT people in the Netherlands, which has fast wifi and some greenery around.

The new government which will begin next year should therefore work a new policy to increase Dutch competitiveness and business climate, as the Council calls. It should then be more looked at the value of investments in the bigger picture, weighed against other options.

” This may mean that for example appears suddenly better not to invest in a new highway, but that improving yields more the quality of the environment, ” De Graeff explains.

Priority

the risk that investments Rotterdam and Schiphol benefit, in new situation does not prevail anymore. But that is something that will leave the board in politics.

” You can spend every tax euro once ”, stressed De Graeff, who can make further questions whether the government or good investment choices while they also shareholder of the port and the airport.

the port of Rotterdam and Schiphol find that the Board draws the wrong conclusion, let them know in a comment. The port authority and airport both suggest that there is required a deliberate government policy to support the main ports and further strengthen

By:. ANP