Call for Input | Share your ideas for the Dutch Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Policy Consultation

The aim is to present the new foreign trade and development cooperation policy document to parliament before the 2022 summer recess. The minister is currently inviting input from third parties. This is an important way of obtaining information relevant to the drafting of the policy document. To this end the minister is engaging with (inter)national partners, target groups, stakeholders and experts active within the field of foreign trade and development cooperation, and inviting them to share their ideas and knowledge. In particular, this includes civil society organisations; internationally operating businesses; trade associations; think tanks; scholars and researchers; cities and regions with international ambitions and young people.

‘The way in which aid and trade can reinforce each other will be one of the integral themes of the policy document,’ Ms Schreinemacher says. The document will elaborate on her policy objectives, based on the priorities set out in the coalition agreement of the fourth Rutte government. She will also take account of current events, such as the war in Ukraine and necessary aid to be provided to refugees.

The online consultation is open until April 15, 2022. Contributors are welcome to answer questions that are most relevant to them. Responses should be based on solid arguments and provide concrete ideas for action. Background documents can be shared additionally. Responses will be published during the course of the consultation, provided the person who submitted the response gave their consent.

Addressing food and nutrition security and food systems

Netherlands Food Partnership calls on its network and partners to provide knowledge-based input from the perspective of food and nutrition security and food systems. Each of the ten questions outlined within the consultation document, provide a scope for responses to be written within a food systems context:

1. How can we increase the involvement of Dutch companies in the twin transitions in low- and middle-income countries?
2. How can government, the private sector and knowledge institutions work together better to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
3. How can the Netherlands’ efforts to achieve policy coherence for development be further strengthened or enhanced?
4. How can the government strengthen Dutch companies’ sustainable earning capacity abroad?
5. In which themes or sectors do you see opportunities for international enterprise?
6. How can the government better support companies (and SMEs specifically) that are doing or wish to do business abroad?
   1. What type of support do companies need in order to achieve international success in the areas of digital innovation (innovation partnerships) and sustainability?
   2. For what countries, regions or markets should the government provide private sector support?
   3. What type of trade promotion activities should the government stop doing?
7. In your opinion, what are the Netherlands’ strengths when it comes to development cooperation? In which policy themes could the Netherlands play a leading role?
8. In what other ways and areas could Dutch development cooperation innovate more?
9. In what ways or areas could the Netherlands, as a donor, be even bolder?
10. Are there any other points that you believe should be included in the new policy document?

Please find here the relevant links:

• You can read the questions in full and submit your responses by clicking here
• Recommended reading: Background document for online consultation. It includes the main points of the new foreign trade and development policy of Cabinet Rutte-IV - download here

Further information about the consultation (Dutch/English), including links to the online reactions (click at bottom of page) - click here