At Platform31's Trendtalk on 3 July, one message rang out loud and clear: The Netherlands is stuck spatially-economically. This was something Frank van Oort, Professor of Urban and Regional Economics at Erasmus School of Economics, could also comment on.
According to the panel, we are currently facing structural stagnation and a lack of a shared vision on our country’s spatial-economic future. There is too little space to accommodate the wide range of economic activities and the realisation is growing that not everything will be possible in the future. This is precisely why making choices will be essential.
Van Oort emphasised that it is important not to pursue the same strategy in every region, as that leads to competition. Instead, coordinating with each other is a better option. He continued that diferent reagions will require different approaches. Some will need to transform, others to intensify and others to revitalise. According to van Oort, the government should take a guiding role in this, as companies are primarily focused on their own markets.
The Achilles' heel in the Netherlands for the future is likely to remain the labour market, according to van Oort. To actually shape the transitions, we will have to train people ourselves. However, that is currently challenging as we no longer possess those skills. Van Oort stresses the importance of recovering those skills, as doing so will benefit both existing and emerging sectors in the long run
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You can listen to the Trendtalk of Platform31, 3 July 2025, here.
