Timmermans: ‘Brussels chuckles’ at the lack of Dutch plans for recovery fund
The fact that the Netherlands is the only EU member state to have no plan for the European Corona Recovery Fund leads to ‘sniggering in Brussels’, EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans.
‘It is under pressure from the Netherlands that we have criteria for economic reforms in the recovery fund, based on which the Commission always does,’ explains Timmermans. The Netherlands also received a number of reports, particularly regarding the reforms in the mortgage market. ‘The only thing is that the Netherlands does not want to provide clarity on this as long as there is no cabinet.’
Listen also | Provinces: ‘Cabinet delays submitting corona recovery plan, our patience has run out’
Eddy van Hijum, board member of the Interprovincial Consultation, said earlier today that the patience of the municipalities and provinces is running out. He also mentions the caretaker cabinet as the reason for the ‘loitering’. ‘But that’s no reason to take as long as they do’, says van Hijum. Laurens Dassen, Volt’s party chairman, is concerned about the anger of the local activities. ‘That 6 billion euros is ready and we can use it very well for sustainability, digitization, education, innovation and the cultural sector.’
According to Timmermans, that money can be put to good use for the energy transition in order to achieve the climate goals. He believes that nuclear energy can play an important role, but only in a rational way. ‘You have to be pragmatic. Calculate it. Do you need it? What does it cost? How long does it take to get electricity out of it? For heaven’s sake, let’s be rational about nuclear power. Then I have no problem with it.’
Frans Timmermans will be a guest at BNR De Wereld this afternoon at 3 p.m.
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