Kick-off session for AmCham's 2011 Investors' Agenda of Priority Points
On October 5 AmCham and KPMG teamed up to fire the starting gun for AmCham's 2011 Investors' Agenda of Priority Points - the Chamber's policy proposals to the Netherlands Government to improve the investment climate. Some 60/70 members came to the new KPMG offices in Amstelveen to take stock of the present investment climate and to debate what measures can be taken to make the country more attractive for foreign investors.
The competitive conditions that characterize a country's investment climate are forever in a state of flux - they need continuous honing to keep abreast of international developments in neighboring countries and, increasingly, countries further afield. Even - especially one may argue - in times of economic downturn and hesitant recovery, policy makers must keep searching for ways and means to make these conditions for business better - such as reducing red tape, encouraging entrepreneurial activity, investing in education and infrastructure. What, in short, are the policies needed to promote product and service innovation in the Netherlands?
The debate on policy issues to improve the Netherlands investment climate was divided into three workshops - corporate income taxation, people, and, innovation, accessibility & infrastructure . These workshops were led, respectively, by Willem Jan Paardekooper (Partner with KPMG), Eugenie Nunes (Partner, Boekel De Nerée) and Mark Esseboom (Governmental Programs Executive, IBM).
Each interactive workshop distilled the argumentation and input into three or four policy suggestions. These will be further debated in the AmCham's Policy Committee in the coming months before the Chamber's 2011 Priority Points are finalized.
Two leading proponents of the importance of innovation for the Netherlands’ investment climate warmed up the audience and gave food for thought for debate in the workshops. Harry van Dorenmalen (Chairman Europe & GM Benelux for IBM) and Wiebe Draijer (Managing Partner McKinsey & Co. and member of the Innovation Platform).
The Tax workshop debated the role of the innovation box in attracting new, and stimulating present, investment. More debate on ways to improve this fiscal stimulus will be taken up in the AmCham’s Tax Committee in the coming months.
The People workshop outlined the demographic developments that will characterize the Dutch labor market in the coming decades, the increasing need for greater labor flexibility, diversity as well as internal and external mobility. A focus on high quality workforce development and education is required to strengthen competitiveness.
The Innovation workshop consensus emphasized the need for more investment in education, R&D and entrepreneurship. An appeal to government to bring more focus and direction in innovation and R&D policy was emphasized as well as continuation of support for key industry clusters (e.g. water management, food & flowers).
.GIF)
