Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW)

Further information

Click on the sections below to read more.

Paris Agreement and net-zero emissions

• VNO-NCW has stated support for the EU’s target to achieve climate neutrality by 2050; it has also stated support for increasing the climate ambitions of the Dutch Coalition Agreement to align with the EU’s target of climate neutrality by 2050.[1] [2]

Carbon pricing

• VNO-NCW has stated support for the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).[3] [4] In a 2022 letter to government and a website article, VNO-NCW states support for the implementation of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM); VNO-NCW states that the phase-out of free allocations under the EU ETS should occur hand-in-hand with the phase-in of the CBAM, and not before.[5] [6]

Energy efficiency

• VNO-NCW has stated support for increasing industry energy efficiency.[7] [8]
• In a 2022 letter to the Dutch Parliament, VNO-NCW stated support for the extension of the Dutch ‘Meerjarenafspraken energie-efficiëntie’, a multi-year collaborative engagement agreement between the Dutch government and industry on energy efficiency, designed to support the government’s energy policy.[9]
• In a 2022 website article, VNO-NCW stated that additional government initiatives to support the standardisation of energy efficiency across industry could maximise industry’s efforts to reduce CO₂ and go further than the existing ‘wet Energiebesparing’, the Dutch law on energy savings.[10]

Decarbonised hydrogen

• VNO-NCW has stated support for green hydrogen.[11] In a 2022 letter to the Dutch government, VNO-NCW stated that the government should ensure sufficient time to upscale technologies, such as green hydrogen, as a sustainable source of energy, providing clarity on a Dutch hydrogen target and policy measures such as financial incentives for hydrogen and permitting procedures.[12] [13]

Natural ecosystems

No position

Carbon capture and storage

• VNO-NCW has stated that the timely development of infrastructure for carbon capture and storage deployment will be critical to achieve the Netherlands’ CO₂ emission reduction targets.[14]

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards and benchmarks, sustainable finance taxonomies

• VNO-NCW has stated support for the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive; it has also stated the need for alignment between European reporting standards and national standards to maximise comparability of sustainability information and minimise contradictions and higher reporting burdens for companies.[15]
• VNO-NCW has stated support for the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities and a phased implementation of the taxonomy to “put accuracy above speed of implementation”, as well as to consider the complexity and time required for companies to implement it.[16]

Coal

No position

Electrification with renewable or low-carbon power

• VNO-NCW has stated support for increasing electrification with renewable energy.[17] In a 2022 opinion article for Financieele Dagblad, VNO-NCW stated the need to accelerate the deployment of electricity infrastructure to support the decarbonisation of the Dutch economy; it highlighted the need to accelerate the development of solar and wind parks, scale up hydrogen production and fortify the electricity grid.[18]
• VNO-NCW has stated the need to rapidly develop additional electricity capacity to support the decarbonisation of Dutch industry.[19] [20] [21] In 2022, VNO-NCW co-developed a detailed plan “Samen snel het Net op” that highlighted the need for the Dutch government to address overloading of the electricity grid, and proposed a subsidy scheme to accelerate investment in electricity infrastructure.[22]
• In 2022, VNO-NCW co-authored a national action plan to accelerate additional electricity capacity which was presented to government.[23] The action plan contains steps such as standardisation, increasing collaboration and smart electricity usage.[24]

Gases and methane

• VNO-NCW has stated support for the role of gas and other low-carbon fuels in the energy transition.[25]
• In a December 2021 website article, VNO-NCW stated that as part of the EU Fit for 55 package, the energy sector should reduce methane emissions.[26]

Road transport: Passenger cars and vans

• VNO-NCW has stated support for the decarbonisation of light-duty transport.[27] [28]
• In a November 2022 website article, VNO-NCW stated support for the EU’s CO₂ standards for passenger cars and vans.[29]
• In 2022 articles, VNO-NCW stated that the Dutch government should ensure that its emission reduction goals for the mobility sector for 2030 are achieved.[30] [31]

Road transport: Heavy-duty vehicles

• In a November 2022 article, VNO-NCW stated that it is awaiting the 2023 EU proposals on CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles, which will further support the decarbonisation of road transport across the EU.[32]
• VNO-NCW has stated that it is concerned about the feasibility of deploying zero-emission vans and trucks at sufficient scale to achieve decarbonisation of the transport industry, and advocates for the development of more and better facilities to ensure there are sufficient zero-emission vans by 2025.[33]

Heavy industry decarbonisation

• VNO-NCW supported the Dutch Cluster Energiestrategieën, which outlines decarbonisation of the industry in line with the Dutch Climate Agreement.[34]

Aviation

• VNO-NCW has stated that the decarbonisation of aviation needs to be accelerated by increasing sustainable aviation fuels and the development and procurement of new aircraft.[35] In a 2022 letter to the Dutch government, VNO-NCW stated that the EU ETS proceeds from the aviation industry should be redirected towards the aviation industry and earmarked for decarbonisation of the sector.[36]

Shipping

• VNO-NCW stated in a 2022 letter to the Dutch government that it supported accelerating the decarbonisation of the shipping industry through adding the sector to the EU ETS and using the proceeds for the decarbonisation of the shipping sector.[37]

Return to list of associations