Council calls for a scientific vision for the Netherlands

Incoming government must make better use of scientific expertise in policymaking, says advisory body

The AWTI, a government advisory body on science and technology, has said that the Netherlands needs a strong government that uses science and technology to make well-founded choices.

In an open letter to Herman Tjeenk Willink, a retired Dutch Labour Party politician who is involved in conducting exploratory talks to help political parties form the next governing coalition, the AWTI argued that the next cabinet should develop a scientific vision for the Netherlands, continue the National Growth Fund and ensure that research and innovation were better aligned with the EU’s Horizon Europe R&D programme.