The Ministry of Economic Affairs should make the Netherlands more attractive as seat for company R&D. That is the advice of the Advisory board for the Science and Technology policy (ATW) in the advice rapport “Bieden en binden – internationalisering van R&D als beleidsuitdaging”, that was published last week.

According to AWT there are no indications that Dutch companies are structurally moving their present R&D activities abroad, however this does not mean that Economic Affairs should not make more efforts to attract more new R&D to the Netherlands.

AWT chairman Joop Sistermans thinks that Economic Affairs should focus on the needs of knowledge intensive companies that fit within the focus areas chosen by the Dutch government. “In these fields the most opportunies lay to reinforce our competition power.”

The advice challenges Economic Affairs to reinforce the contact with large and medium size companies in the Netherlands. “This can be done by contacting directors of companies on social developments, involving them by government projects, legislation and so on. This way Economic Affairs can react to the needs of these companies, help them to get local contacts, imbedding them in the Netherlands.

Also more investments in fundamental and strategic research are needed to make the facilities that support company R&D more competitive to other countries.

Source: C2W