When: March 30, 2021
Time: 14:00 – 15:00 CET
Main Takeaways
On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, the International Chambers in the Netherlands, NLinBusiness and the NL Business Hub network organised a webinar about the global impact of the Dutch elections. Over 500 people all over the world tuned in to hear from various speakers who shared their views on the outcome of the recent elections in the Netherlands, its impact on international business, challenges the Dutch government faces moving forward and the most important factors that influence and drive the political priorities of the Netherlands.
Please check out this page for de recording of the webinar
Read on for a summary of the most important takeaways.
Keynote speaker Ingrid Thijssen, President of the employer’s organisation VNO-NCW, opens the session with a statement that outlines the organisation’s new agenda, her view on the recent election outcome and the major challenges that the new cabinet will face:
New agenda
Ingrid states that the need for a new agenda arose from the increasing distance between society and businesses, the widening of the opportunity gap and efforts in tackling climate change not being sufficient. She emphasises the need for a ‘new compass’ – a new agenda based on 3 pillars: a strong economy, sustainability and inclusiveness (i.e. equal opportunities with a focus on education). An objective is to also encourage the business community to have a broader perspective on their role in local or national societal issues. None of this can be achieved without improving the economic growth prospect in the Netherlands, and to do that, stimulating international business is key.
Dutch election results
Ingrid notes that several topics were underexposed throughout the campaign: the nitrogen crisis, a post-COVID economic recovery plan and international security (China and the US).
She states that the business community sees the pro-European and typically pro-entrepreneurial nature of the majority parties as positive. Their biggest concern is the collective desire to increase taxes for businesses. Ingrid’s opinion is that the only way to grow out of it is to encourage more investments, as it will lead to more jobs.
Major challenges for a new cabinet
- Enable sustainable economic recovery to tackle serious financial damage of core industries. A solid economic recovery plan is needed, beyond the emergency aid package for a few months. The plan should address accumulated debts, boost investment, support equity and ensure increasing taxes for businesses are avoided.
- Improve the working of the Dutch labour market and continue progress with agreements with trade unions.
- Tackle the often underestimated nitrogen crisis which is actually bigger than the financial issue and is causing companies that want to invest in the Netherlands to seek refuge abroad.
- Realise the Dutch climate agreement.
- Foster global business connectivity by investing in workforce, infrastructure and R&D institutions, as well as stimulate Dutch businesses to go abroad, step ahead in joint public private efforts to boost trade and improve the business climate in the Netherlands.
Panel Discussion
Next, the panel, Cees Westera, Managing Partner at Public Matters, Rem Korteweg, Senior Research Fellow at Clingendael and Frank Heemskerk Secretary General ERT, shared the following predictions and views on the current Dutch political landscape, its global impact and the corresponding challenges:
The delay in the coalition formation will impact policy uncertainty moving forward.
Continuity. In a global context, the choice of the same Prime Minister and majority parties is positive. It offers both internal and external stability.
There will be a change in political tone towards more constructive engagement with the EU and approach to trade in the direction of France and Germany. The Netherlands should be a pragmatic voice, even though it’s a small open trading country, but there’s a lot to improve upon.
Impact on entrepreneurship. Tax increase is conducive with a decline in investments. The Dutch business climate will ultimately become less attractive in the coming years.
A record number of parties in parliament means there is a scattered political landscape that will cause clashes and policy uncertainty on topics such as the nitrogen crisis and climate agenda. For example, pro-European vs. pro-nationalist polarisation, or pro-industry vs. pro-agriculture. A solution is to ensure it is solved by being put in the coalition agreement.
Sustainability is something that the Netherlands should be leading in, in relation to the global political landscape. The hope is that the new government will be less selfish and more pragmatic, dealing with issues at EU level rather than member state level.
Not enough knowledge about technology in parliament will be problematic in the future as global privacy and data-related issues arise.
Need for focus on transatlantic relations honing in on data, privacy, tech, as well as the role of international trade and the Netherlands within it, in particular with relation to Europe’s squeeze in the middle of US and China.
Lastly, the top three global concerns that will affect Dutch political vision of the local industry:
- Relationship US and China
- Climate change (Green Deal)
- People (migration, invest in skills, up/rescaling of Dutch population)
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands are very pleased to thank all speakers for sharing their insights and expertice. We also thank all collaboration partners for the excellent and pleasent collaboration and all participants for joining us from all over the world.
For more information:
https://nlinbusiness.com/kans/the-global-impact-of-the-dutch-elections-main-takeaways-ZG9jdW1lbnQ6ZFVrOGJrNm5TWHhFbVAyVWJ5ak4=
This event is an initiative of the International Chambers in the Netherlands, NLinBusiness and the NL Business Hub network. Together they represent over 40 organisations active in the Dutch Bilateral Trade in the Netherlands and abroad.
Benelux Chamber of Commerce in China | East China | Shanghai
Benelux Chamber of Commerce | South China | Pearl River Delta
Dutch Brazilian Chamber of Commerce
Dutch Business Association Turkey
Dutch Business Association Vietnam
Dutch Business Network Indonesia
Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines
Dutch Chamber of Commerce Singapore
Dutch Portuguese Chamber of Commerce
Holland House Chili
Holland House Colombia
Holland House Mexico
Malaysian Dutch Business Council
Nederlandse Kamer van Koophandel voor België en Luxemburg
Netherlands Business Council France
Netherlands Polish Chamber of Commerce
Netherlands Romanian Chamber of Commerce
Netherlands Thai Chamber of Commerce
NL Business Hub Munich
The Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce
The Netherlands Business Council UAE
The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in Japan
NLinBusiness
Date: March 22, 2021
Time: 14.45 – 16.00
The Future of Retail E-Commerce
“The word Retail will not exist in a few years from now” said Paul Martin yesterday during the Swedish Chamber webinar on The Future of Retail E-Commerce. In collaboration with Chambre de Commerce Suedoise en France and Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia key speakers were sharing their insights on how retail will change in the coming years. The latest aspects about what the future of retail e-commerce will entail and the role of physical stores versus retail e-commerce.
Will retail become obsolete in a few years and transit into consumer commerce and has ‘home become the new hub’? How to move forward and also what should companies be prepared for when new VAT rules start to apply in July 2021? The webinar has been recorded and the replay will soon be available on our website. The Swedish Chamber of Commerce would like to thank our accomplished speakers Paul Martin, KPMG, Paul de Jong, IKEA Nederland, Wilko Klaassen, Klarna and Elène Siem, KPMG and our inspiring moderator Mark Ogertschnig for sharing their expertise and experience.
We thank all participants for joining us at this interesting and inspiring webinar and welcome anyone to join us again for our future webinars. Sign up to our digital newsletter, like our social media and visit our website for future webinars and upcoming events.”
This webinar was organized by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands in collaboration with Chambre de Commerce Suédoise en France and Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia.
When: March 9, 2021
Time: 11.45-12.45 CET
Online Meeting
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to invite you to a webinar in collaboration with Swedish Chamber International (SCI) and new Swe-Cham Member IPscreener on March 9, 2021, 11:45-12:45 CET.
Best Practice for use of AI tools in innovation & IP
Best Practice for use of AI tools in innovation & IPThere are many attempts to improve innovation by using AI tools. How are companies discussing the best use of them? Are there any wishes and possible implications with AI ahead? What assistance may be expected for better decisions and review of ideas? And are there any real-life examples yet on best practice?
Join this online session with leading experts to get insights & experience on how to use AI to boost innovation.
Featuring:
Fredrik Egrelius
Director Patent Unit, Ericsson
Joakim Isaksson
Business Process Owner IP Analyst, Philips
Charlotta Ljungdahl
Senior VP & Global Head of IP, ABB
Linus Wretblad
CEO, IPScreener
This event is organized by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in France in partnership with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK, Swedish Chamber of Commerce Netherlands, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Germany, Swedish Swiss Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with IPScreener.
When: March 8, 2021
Time: 12.00 – 13.00 CET
How to be a changemaker – Are you curious to know how to impact people and planet in a positive way?
In this Lunch Talk Lisen Wirén, Programme Manager at the IKEA Social Entrepreneurship at Inter IKEA Group will share her thoughts and drive to work with social entrepreneurship and to contribute to positive change.
In this Lunch Talk Lisen Wirén, Programme Manager at the IKEA Social Entrepreneurship at Inter IKEA Group will share her thoughts and drive to work with social entrepreneurship and to contribute to positive change.
IKEA has been collaborating with social businesses since 2012, and currently, the initiative is generating work for more than 30,000 people. Handcrafted collections and products produced in collaborations with social businesses are sold in IKEA stores worldwide. Today, IKEA announces scaling up social entrepreneurship business with the ambition to reach 95,000 jobs by 2025.
For several years, IKEA has been working with social entrepreneurs to create a better everyday life through long-term job opportunities and livelihood for people who need it the most. The social businesses produce unique handcrafted products in order to create financial independence and life-changing opportunities for marginalized groups and women in vulnerable communities. The ability to earn an income also has a direct and positive effect on nearly 150,000 family members of these artisans today.
Opening by Ambassador of Sweden for the Nehterlands, Annika MarkovicOpening words by Ambassador of Sweden for the Netherlands, Annika Markovic
Keynote speaker: Lisen Wirén
Iinteractive Discussion and Q&A
About International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
Date: March 2, 2021
Time: 15.00 – 16.30
Where: Digital event
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to invite you to an online training “Stop Motivating Your Employees” together with Swedish Chamber Member company Tuff Leadership Training.
What’s needed for managers to really become involving?
Stop motivating your employees! – A webinar for HR professionals and senior leaders.
Many would say that we’re in midst of a paradigm shift, where we, on a large scale, are moving from more traditional hierarchical top-down ways of working to less hierarchical more bottom-up self-directed or self-managed ways. We see that in all this there is a crucial piece missing, something which gets in the way for things to work well, a piece that we are unaware of. The webinar Stop Motivating Your Employees is about that missing piece.
What to expect:
In the seminar you will discover how you can view leadership and its role in an empowering way that stimulates engagement and adult-adult relationships, and what new skills leaders today need to develop. As well as what it takes to shift working climate to create trust-based culture. Especially when it comes to the impact of the Covid-19 situation on leadership and remote working together.
Tuff Leadership Training is known for training managers so that change really happens. Read our feature article with Co-founder Carl Erik Herlitz here to learn more about their background and vision.
WHEN:
Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Time: 11.30 – 12.30
WHERE:
Virtual – Zoom
54 DAYS OF A SOVEREIGN UNITED KINGDOM – WHAT NOW FOR THE UK AND THE EU?
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands is pleased to announce a webinar organised by The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK on Tuesday, 23 February 2021.
Brexit, what happens now? Britain left the European Union with a trade deal on 1 January 2021. What is next for the United Kingdom, and where is it heading? In the aftermath of a hard pandemic-hit and Brexit infused recession, what are we to make of its new relationship to its greatest neighbour, the European Union? This, against a backdrop of a United States in turbulence, and years of distancing itself, and a rising China. How do we emerge stronger?
In partnership with Swedish Chamber of Commerce to the UK we welcome you to the third edition in the “Emerging Stronger” series, featuring business leaders and opinion influencers from both sides of the English Channel.
The discussions are moderated by Nik Gowing, Director and Founder of Thinking the Unthinkable and former BBC news anchor.
Speakers will include:
Andrew Bowie, Member of Parliament and Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, and Chair of the British-Swedish All-Party Parliamentary Group
Charlotte Erkhammar, CEO at Kreab Group
James Sproule, Chief Economist at Handelsbanken PLC
Booking information
Swedish Chamber of Commerce for NL member price: Free
YP member price: Free
Non-member price: £15
Terms & Conditions
Bookings are non-refundable, but at the discretion of the organiser, you can change the name of the person attending. For this, please contact events@swedishchamber.nl
This event is hosted in partnership with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Estonia, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in France, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Germany, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the Netherlands, Swedish Swiss Chamber of Commerce, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Turkey, and Jönköping Chamber of Commerce.
Date: February 18, 2021
Time: 15.30 –
Zoom Webinar
Which impact will the pandemic situation have on the Event Industry in 2021? What are the trends and possibilities? How can your business thrive in times of uncertainty?
The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the Finnish, Danish and Norwegian Chambers of Commerce in the Netherlands are very pleased to invite our members to an interactive webinar to discuss upcoming trends and possibilities within the Event industry 2021 together with the event companies Lyytti and MeetApp.
Though the current pandemic situation forces the event industry to host virtual events in stead of IRL, there are a range of possibilities regarding planning and organising events. Our experienced speakers will provide you with the insights of the current developments within the event sector. MeetApp will make interactive discussions possible during the session and all participants will be able to engage and share their experiences.
Welcome to join us on February 18, 2021 at 15.30 CET to learn how to pivot your event business during the pandemic.
Click here to sign up
This is a collaboration by the Nordic Chambers of Commerce in the Netherlands:
