On October 31, the cabinet sent Parliament a long-term vision document on the future of the Dutch chemical industry. The letter states that the sector is strategically important for the economy and resilience and that it remains indispensable in a circular economy. The vision document is accompanied by two documents providing guidance for policy and practice. The industry association VNCI (Association of the Dutch Chemical Industry) responded approvingly but urged swift implementation.
The government is charting two growth paths: green basic chemistry based on circular and bio-based raw materials and sustainable semi-finished products. And advanced chemistry with high-value-added products. The first path builds on existing clusters and infrastructure, while the second relies on the strong knowledge base and proximity of high-tech and pharmaceutical companies. The government is linking these to preconditions, such as sufficient affordable green energy, infrastructure, space, and accelerated permitting.
The letter outlines a challenging starting position. Due to high energy prices, increasing global competition, and lagging demand for sustainable products, companies are postponing investments or closing locations. In this context, the government warns of domino effects in the integrated chains of the ARRRA cluster and emphasizes the importance of targeted development of new value chains for sustainable carbon.
VNCI wants to restore competitiveness and an implementation agenda
The VNCI calls the vision a step forward, but points to the current situation of factory closures and reorganizations. Without swift action, the association argues, the foundation for sustainability is at risk of disappearing. Its call to politicians in The Hague is twofold: restore a level playing field for industry and develop a joint implementation and investment agenda in which the government and businesses take concrete action.
In addition to the sector perspective, the cabinet offers a vision for sustainable carbon in the chemical industry, with a transition path from fossil to secondary raw materials, bio-based raw materials, and later also CO₂ reuse. This includes follow-up documents. The action plan for the supply of sustainable carbon carriers has been announced for the first quarter of 2026, with a separate vision on fuels and chemical raw materials to follow in 2026. The House simultaneously received underlying studies, including a Perspective for Chemistry and an expert advisory report on sustainable carbon chemistry.
The core of the policy is that developing advanced chemistry will only succeed if sustainable basic chemistry remains available at the same time. This requires infrastructure choices and demand creation for sustainable materials, ensuring new factories operate profitably. The VNCI warns that selectively focusing on only higher-margin products can disrupt the entire supply chain and advocates for policies that recognize the interconnectedness between companies and clusters.
The government acknowledges the risk of uncontrolled phasing out and is setting a course of action with concrete steps over the next eighteen months. The timeline is crucial for the sector. The sooner the preconditions for energy, infrastructure, and permits improve, the greater the chance that investment plans will land in the Netherlands rather than elsewhere. This is the core objective of both the letter to Parliament and the industry's call.
Source: vnci.nl
