Netherlands: the Innovation Platform ends - ambitions remain
Utrecht, 20 July 2010. With the fall of the Dutch government, the Dutch Innovation Platform was lifted and its members resigned on May 1. The Dutch Innovation Platform and 25 other parties are moving forward and are working together towards ambitions formulated in the Knowledge Investment Agenda (KIA).
The Innovation Platform had been established in 2003 as a temporary organisation, and was re-established in 2007 by Cabinet Balkenende IV (2007-2010). Its mission was to “strengthen the Netherlands’ capacity for innovation so that the Netherlands can become a trailblazer in the international knowledge economy”. The Platform had set itself the goal of ensuring that the Netherlands becomes one of the world’s top five knowledge economies.
Both the first and second Innovation Platform were linked to a government's term. With the fall of the Dutch government on the Afghan Troop Mission on February 20th, the members resigned as of May 1st, 2010.
Former members of the Platform are strong advocates of the importance of knowledge and innovation in policymaking. This could be achieved by establishing a new government along the lines of Nordic and Asian countries; a council could be formed that advises politicians about long-term research and innovation policies, and which has a role in the distribution of funds.
Knowledge Investment Agenda
Thirty organisations – a mixture of public organisations and industry, including VNO-NCW (the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers), the FNV and CNV (both federations of trade unions) - have launched a new Knowledge Investment Agenda (KIA). This so-called Coalition KIA continues the work of the lifted Innovation Platform; previously the Platform provided Knowledge Investment Agenda’s on a periodical basis. The Coalition has chosen a new name (KIA instead of the Innovation Platform) to express that not only investments are needed but also action must be taken and results must be achieved.
The vision of the KIA coalition is to transform the Netherlands into a "nation of talent" within ten years and to bring the Netherlands back to the world’s top 5 of knowledge-intensive economies. In order to fulfil this vision, and to structurally fortify the economic foundation, KIA has specified four ambitions with specific actions in each:
- Modern industry policy. The Netherlands continues to advance in the sectors in which it already excels: high tech systems and materials; flowers & food; water; chemicals and the creative industry.
- International companies and export. In the future the Netherlands earns a larger share of prosperity from the international companies that establish operations here and from the increased export to new markets and Europe.
- Entrepreneurial culture. Entrepreneurial spirit experiences a renaissance and a far larger number of people than now are drawn to starting and expanding their own business. More businesses become international players.
- Innovative service industries. An active and robustly growing service industries sector that contributes to added value and export, together with the manufacturing industry in key areas as well as independently.
Links
- 846 reads
