The Netherlands

Political framework for scientific and technical cooperation

According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011, the Netherlands is one of the ten most competitive and innovative nations in the world. In comparison to last year, it improved its position in the ranking, moving from position ten to eight. The fact that the Netherlands are as well ranking among the first ten countries as it comes to the three sub-indices framework conditions, efficiency and innovation, provides evidence of the balanced competitiveness. The report highlights especially the excellent education system. With regard to investments in research and development (R&D), the Netherlands is ranked in the middle within the EU. According to Eurostat data, the R&D percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP) was 1.84% in 2009, putting it slightly below the EU average of 2.01%. The percentage of this accounted for by businesses was less than 60% and therefore low in the international comparison. In the "Innovation Union Scoreboard 2010" the Netherlands ranked on the eight position within the EU. The Netherlands belong to the group of "Innovation followers" showing a performance above that of the EU average. 

The "Innovation Platform" founded in 2003 (17 experts from the worlds of politics, business, science and education, chaired by the Prime Minister) was also aiming at stimulating cooperation between the various parties in the private and public sector. In the second four-year period (2007-2011), the platform's work focused on research, development and innovation in the fields of health, education, energy and water management. In April 2010, the platform published its plan entitled "The Netherlands 2020: Back in the Top 5. The Economic Agenda: Innovative, International and Involving". This was primarily aiming at boosting economic development. Due to the political developments in the summer of 2010 and the re-elections related to them, the innovation platform stopped its activities at the end of July for the time being. A new edition is not planned.

The Strategic agenda for higher education, research and science policy appeared in November 2007. The government of the Netherlands intends this to help create the conditions for an outstanding learning culture and an excellent climate for research. The government declared the fields of information and communication technologies as well as genome research and nano technology national research policy goals.

Important advisory bodies for research and innovation policy are the Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy AWT (merged with the Dutch Energy Council AER since the start of 2010) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences KNAW.

KNAW acts as a forum for the scientific community of the Netherlands and an umbrella organisation for 17 research institutes operating in the humanities, social sciences and life sciences sectors. It also promotes national and international research cooperations. Other important funding organisations are the "Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research" (NWO) and the "Netherlands Organisation for Applied Research" (TNO). NWO promotes scientific quality and innovation in research and initiates new developments. It provides funding and supports the dissemination of research results. Its primary focus is on university research. As well as its role as a research funding organisation, the NWO also maintains nine institutes for basic research. The TNO's activities are centred on socially and economically relevant issues as well as current innovations and concrete applications. TNO particularly supports SMEs (Small and medium enterprises).

Key areas of cooperation

Intensive German-Dutch cooperation takes place in regional networks between (above all) universities and businesses in North Rhine-Westphalia and Dutch partners. An example of intensive cooperation is the foundation German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW). The (mostly multilateral) projects with Dutch participation within the BMBF specialised programs focus primarily on biosciences and biotechnology, environmental research and technology and on information and communication technologies. The projects in the 7th EU Framework Program for Research and Technological Development with joint German-Dutch participation are mainly based around information and communication technologies and health.