Frustrated chip sector hopes for better contact with the House of Representatives

• Nando Kasteleijn

  editor Tech

Previously, says an insider in the chip sector, an MP would call a company with questions the evening before a debate. But that is not so common anymore. Today is an opportunity to change that: eight parties from the chip sector – including ASML and NXP – will update members of the House of Representatives about their sector. A moment to look each other in the eye.

NOS spoke to stakeholders from the sector on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject. This shows frustration about the House and the contact with it.

With the new House of Representatives, new power relations have emerged. The VVD was the largest party and advocate for business for many years. It is very difficult to get in touch with the new largest party, the PVV, according to the industry. BBB recently visited the Eindhoven region, which is the message that gives hope.

The chip sector, with other large multinationals in its wake, was confronted with two tax cuts last fall. This concerns the expat scheme and rules regarding the purchase of own shares, which, in the eyes of companies, have significantly affected the business climate.

“The impression in our board of directors has been for some time: the Netherlands is no longer as ideal a country as we thought,” says a source in the chip sector. Another insider agrees: “There is a lot of uncertainty, only something small needs to happen and then the conclusion follows that The Hague has not understood it.” At the same time, today’s meeting is also seen as a positive change.

In addition, companies are being attracted, Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem of Eindhoven said last week when announcing the billion-dollar boost for the region. “There are 6,000 tech companies here and the successful ones are approached every day from the US, from France, Germany: why don’t you come to us? With all kinds of wonderful conditions and subsidies.”

This can even go so far as to require ambassadors of countries with a complete bidbook passing by. Delegations then visit companies and make promises regarding housing, offices and technically trained personnel.

For example, it cannot be ruled out that companies that currently have their headquarters in the Netherlands will move them under pressure from their shareholders because of the upcoming tax on the purchase of their own shares. “That’s relatively simple to do,” said a source. It also means that the dividend tax goes to another country. “That could well be much more than the tax on the purchase of own shares.”

According to Ellis Aizenberg, assistant professor of public administration at Leiden University, contact between companies and politicians is important. There is a “relationship of dependence” between the two: “This is because the government depends on the business community to make investments and create jobs.”

Aizenberg says that relationship is not so much unhealthy or negative. “The business community is integral to policy making and politics and the two parties simply have to deal with each other.”

Moreover, she does not expect that contact between politicians and companies will disappear completely. “Organized interests play an important role in our democratic system. They are a link between society and politics on the one hand. If they are not given access, that is a problem.”