Source: VNO-NCW
Information desk for entrepreneurs about Brexit and strengthening the Dutch government's commitment to the UK
The government is going to open a helpdesk for entrepreneurs who have questions about the consequences of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. Minister Lilianne Ploumen (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) announced this after an emergency meeting with the Dutch business community on 30 June. Together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ploumen spoke with members of VNO-NCW, MKB-Nederland and LTO Nederland about the impact of Brexit. Ploumen: 'Many companies and entrepreneurs have questions: will it become more difficult or expensive to export products, will they have to deal with different rules, will their business partners move activities from the UK? They can go to the information desk with all these questions. We would also like to hear their ideas and suggestions: the government can work on them'. The helpdesk can be reached via the website http://www.hollanduktrade.com and tel. 088 0424242. A separate page will follow on the government website with general information about Brexit. Minister Ploumen also announced that the embassy and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency in London will be reinforced with additional staff in the short term: 'We want to limit any negative consequences as much as possible and maximize any positive effects.' Ploumen emphasized that the government's priority is to ensure a careful, transparent withdrawal process. The United Kingdom is the EU's second largest economy and an important trading partner for the Netherlands. In total, the Netherlands exported more than 38 billion euros to the United Kingdom in 2015, compared to an import value of 21 billion euros. In terms of earnings, the United Kingdom is the most important export destination for the Netherlands after Germany.
Nederlands