Three new trainees start at Public Matters

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Since the start of the political year, Public Matters has welcomed three new trainees. We are very pleased that Berber Dotinga, Lukas Prinsen and Mike de Wit will strengthen our team for the coming six months, especially in this busy political period with the national elections in March 2021.

About the trainees

Berber is from Friesland and did an internship at a one-man fraction in the Dutch House of Representatives. She was the chairman of the Young Democrats in Groningen and worked at DUO. Currently Berber is doing the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Euroculture. In her private time she loves cross-fitting, good food and festivals. At Public Matters, Berber will mainly focus on clients in the tech sector and the support of all Brussels activities.

Lukas lives in Utrecht and specialized in public affairs during his master ‘management of the public sector’ at Leiden University. Previously he studied Political Science at the University of Amsterdam and worked as a health insurance advisor at ASR. Lukas loves good books and fitness. At Public Matters he will mainly focus on the upcoming elections, the organization of the annual Public Matters seminar and various clients in the energy and financial sector.

Mike is from Leiden and is currently working on his Master ‘Economics & Governance’ at Leiden University. He was active in various capacities at the Leiden University Fund and was a student member of the faculty council of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Leiden University. He loves politics, history and wine. At Public Matters he will be involved in the Public Matters initiative “Tech Against Corona” and will support various clients with a link to domestic affairs.

On behalf of the entire Public Matters team, we wish all three a lot of success and wisdom in the upcoming period.

Machiavelli Foundation kicks of new parliamentary year

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On Tuesday the 1st of September, the Machiavelli Foundation organised the annual start of the parliamentary year. Parliamentary leaders Pieter Heerma (CDA – Christian Democrats) and Lodewijk Asscher (PvdA – Labour) discussed the upcoming political year. The discussion was moderated by journalists Fons Lambie (RTL) and Remco Meijer (Volkskrant). Public Matters has been the main sponsor of the Machiavelli Foundation for 10 years.

The event took place in ‘Nieuwspoort’, where the political leaders discussed the necessity of a clear vision and ideology for political parties. Societal problems and challenges that existed before the corona crisis have become even more challenging . Mr. Asscher advocated for a stronger government and more security for employees. Mr. Heerma believes in a powerful society instead of a strong market: “the government became part of the problem after 30 years of neoliberalism”.

The question raised concerning the capability for a next term for Prime Minister Rutte in which political vision is very important was answered by Mr. Heerma: “Rutte from the past years is not the person who is capable for the challenges of the future”. It seems that both party leaders suggest that Mr. Rutte governs without vision and focuses too much on businesses. Mr. Asscher states that the Netherlands needs to become an ‘association’ again instead of a ‘foundation’ or a ‘listed company’.

Both politicians were not in favour of a polarised American way of debating

However, it is not undesirable to have a clear choice for society according to Mr. Asscher. Overcoming differences has to be possible. “Dutch politics is not a game where everyone will go to the same target at the same time” according to Mr. Heerma. In addition, he believes that a silent majority of Dutch society is against further polarisation.

At the end of the event, the politicians discussed the upcoming elections of March 2021. Both leaders have a positive feeling about the upcoming elections and the campaign, but did not want to discuss a prediction concerning the number of seats or a general election result. However, both leaders expressed their mutual trust and expressed political collaboration is possible in the future.

Public Matters is the main sponsor of the Machiavelli Foundation. Further information and a link towards the event can be found here.

Public affairs during the coronacrisis: government relations are crucial

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First and foremost, the coronavirus is a concern for the health of our loved ones – family, friends and colleagues. Additionally, the consequences for our economy are immense and will most likely be felt for a long time. For most economic sectors, this means a change in their relations with policy makers. Many businesses are seeking cooperation with governments to help find solutions to tackle the crisis. Moreover, many companies will make use of the support measures as recently anounced by the Dutch government. In this respect, people seem more aware than ever of the fact that during this crisis, the way in which companies operate determines their reputation.

Public Matters seeks to look beyond this crisis. What will be the effect on future legislation and regulations and what does this mean for relations between governments and companies? The next elections (March 2021) will be an important moment in this respect. Despite the limitations in terms of face to face communication, public affairs and stakeholder activities will not stop. Because more then ever governments need insights from crucial economic sectors, regarding how they can contribute and what they need.

Please find below an overview of support that Public Matters is providing to organizations during the coronacrisis:

  • Realize access to (financial) support measures. Our consultants provide insight into the support services and the decision-making processes regarding these measures. Because of the high speed of decision-making, it is important to be able to directly reach out the right people at ministries as well as the national crisis organization. Public Matters advises about access to these measures.
  • Set up coalitions. Cooperation (within sectors and cross-sectoral) is especially appreciated at this time. A successful example is the ‘Tech against Corona’ Initiative, which is set up and facilitated by Public Matters.
  • Agenda setting after the coronacrisis. When this crisis is under control, policymakers will start looking at what is needed to prevent another crisis. Addressing policy issues in a timely manner is therefore important – in order to influence future legislation and regulation. Together with clients we look beyond the horizon at future policy and the effects of the crisis on the elections in 2021.
  • Position crucial sectors. Large numbers of people work from home and groceries are suddenly crucial food products again. Which sectors are crucial and what does this mean for your organization? Public Matters advises organizations in vital sectors and consults about measures that are needed in the short and long term.
  • Reputation management. What did your organization do during the corona crisis? This question is not only asked today but will also be asked in the coming years. The deployment of companies right now will have an effect on the reputation of companies for many years to come. Public Matters provides your organization with an ‘outside view’ on your reputation of your organization towards policymakers.
  • International network. Public Matters cooperates with partners in more than 50 countries worldwide. We can provide insights into the measures taken in other countries and the opportunities and threats for your organization from a global perspective.
  • Crisis communication. This crisis requires a different way of communicating to ministries and politicians. Developments and decision-making processes are significantly accelerated and there is an overflow of media coverage. Public Matters is available as a sparring partner 24/7 for administrators in this time of crisis.

Policy developments in the Dutch healthcare sector due to COVID-19

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25 March 2020
Like in other countries, the coronavirus has a significant impact on the Dutch health care sector. Although the consequences are not only very clear yet, policies are being developed to support hospitals, companies and employees within the healthcare sector as much as possible. This blog provides an overview of some of these policy developments.

Shortages of (medical) devices

There is a shortage of medical devices such as test kits, disinfectants, respiratory equipment and personal protective equipment. To address the shortages, (academic) hospitals have set up a joint procurement agency, and the Ministry of Health has announced the purchase of additional respiratory equipment from abroad and other sectors, such as military institutions, veterinary practices and private clinics. In addition, the government focuses on setting up its own production capacity for medical equipment, in cooperation with companies and technical universities.

During the first parliamentary debate on the coronavirus crisis, GroenLinks (Greens, an opposition party), managed to receive a commitment by the minister of Medical Care, for that Ministry of Health to start a claim procedure with regards to personal protective equipment. However, After the debate, the government announced that this commitment was reconsidered, since the announcement had already deterred multiple sellers and foreign suppliers from supplying in the Netherlands.

IC capacity and medical staff

The capacity of IC departments is being expanded by various measures to prevent excessive overload. The total number of IC places will be increased from 1150 to 2400 beds, and also elective care (e.g. planned surgical procedures) is scaled down to free up beds for Corona patients. In addition to these capacity expansion, there is a centrally coordinated redistribution of patients across the Netherlands, other locations will be set up where artificial respiration can take place, and medical staff will be deployed at the IC department.

Due to the huge demand on healthcare staff, and the fact that they also have to comply with the regulations to stay at home – for example when having the flu, staff shortage is becoming unavoidable. Former care workers are therefore (temporarily) deployed and retrained if necessary. In order to speed up this process, legislation with regards to the BIG-register, amongst other things, has been temporarily made less strict.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has immediately freed up money for extra digital applications to enable support and care from a distance. A special emergency scheme has been set up within the “Stimulating regulation E-health Home” (SET): SET Covid-19. This allows the continuance of the care of vulnerable elderly people that live at home or people with a chronic illness or disability.

Medicines & vaccines

Several measurements have been announced to deal with medicine shortages caused by COVID-19. For example, it has been announced that maximum prices will be abandoned of medicines that have relatively low prices or a low turnover in the Netherlands. The maximum price for individual products outside this category can also be released if there is a threat of shortages. The final criteria are expected to be published at the end of this week. According to several sources, it seems that the Ministry of Health is not intended to postpone the planned revision of the maximum prices for medicines as of 1 April, as stated by various sector associations in a letter to the Ministry.

In addition, companies and researchers in the Netherlands are working hard on the development of a vaccine against COVID-19. Because Dutch legislation and regulations regarding the testing and assessing of new vaccines are much stricter than in other European countries, companies move the follow-up processes in other countries. To prevent this from happening in the future, the ask of the healthcare sector for a reassessment of the Dutch processes for vaccines is becoming stronger.

” Tech against Corona” Initiative of Dutch tech companies offers free support

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Dutch tech companies provide support to the Dutch government government, aid workers, care providers and hospitals in their fight against Corona (COVID-19).

The ”Tech against Corona” Initiative of Dutch tech companies offers free support in the fight against the corona virus (COVID-19). To this end, an online meeting took place on Wednesday 25 March between various tech companies, civil servants and MPs. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss how these companies can contribute to the fight against the corona virus through their services and products.

The starting point here is that governments, aid workers, care providers and hospitals can make free use of the knowledge, skills and algorithms of these companies, and this has already started. For example, Cybersprint recently investigated fake RIVM websites and COVID-19 malware attacks against hospitals, together with Huib Modderkolk (investigative journalist), and offered to protect these hospitals. In addition, Compumatica will improve the internet connections of home workers with critical professions, and TYMLEZ will model the medical goods ecosystem through a platform that matches supply & demand, with blockchain as the underlying technology. Traxion can help with the rapid addition of large and varying amounts of volunteers to online systems, and KPN and Microsoft are thinking about connecting new technologies to existing systems.

As part of the effort of the Ministry of Defense, the Royal Dutch Army is already fully engaged in providing crisis support in the form of planners, medical workers and specialist equipment (including respiratory equipment). The planners are deployed at both national and regional level. Behind the scenes, there is even more capacity in many forms to be deployed on instructions from administrative and medical authorities, says Colonel van Dalen. The Ministry of Defense plays an important supporting role in the fight against Corona and collaborates extensively with the business community in other areas as well.

The ”Tech against Corona” Initiative already involves more than 10 companies and is an initiative of Public Matters, a public affairs and lobby consultancy. Following a similar idea in the United Kingdom, the goal is to make as many concrete and feasible agreements between governments and tech companies as possible.

Jan Middendorp (Member of Parliament, VVD) “We stay at home to keep each other safe. Technology can help keeping us safe. It is therefore more important than ever in these exceptional times for governments and tech companies to work together.”

Chris van Dam (Member of Parliament, CDA) “It’s fantastic that these companies are willing to assist the government. These smart tech heads are desperately needed right now.”

UPDATE DUTCH POLITICS: The coronavirus crisis in the Netherlands

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What does the coronavirus crisis mean for the Dutch people, politics and public affairs? Please find below a brief update on the current state of play in the Netherlands.

People

By 16 March, a total of 1413 persons were tested positive, and 24 patiënts deceased. Yesterday, there were 278 new patiënts. Since 15 March, government measures include prohibition of events for over 100 people, closing of all schools, restaurants, bars, and daycare facilities until 6 April earliest. By increasing national debt the government has freed up 90 bln euro to cover e.g. challenges for businesses. PM Mark Rutte addressed the nation on television in an historic speech on 16 March, in which he compelled the Dutch to look out for one another.

Politics

Parliament has postponed all physical debates which are not coronavirus-related until further notice. Currently digital solutions to certain parliamentary processes are being sought, and in addition:

  • The weekly rounds of parliamentary questions will be cancelled, and in principle there will be no voting in the coming weeks.
  • All parliamentary committee meetings and activities are postponed until further notice. Exceptions to this are technical briefings on the coronavirus: on 18 March there will be a technical briefing on the corona virus in the Lower House at 11.00, followed by a plenary debate at 13.00.

Following the above it’s fair to assume most legislative processes may be delayed in the coming weeks.

Public affairs

  • An empty parliamentary agenda means opportunity for meeting MPs and other policy makers, albeit through digital means. Choosing the right timing is critical, however – as there is no indication of how long these measures will be in place.
  • The Dutch will have their next elections in March 2021. Currently, the committees in charge of writing the election manifestos are in their formative stage, or have just begun. How this crisis will impact the election process is yet unclear, but we can assume it will be off to a slow start this summer. This means more time to make your voice heard in the earlier stages.
  • As outlined above the parliamentary process is temporarily halted, which means some legislative processes might be postponed to after the summer – or even after the 2021 elections. Determining impact on business is crucial in this stage. Feel free to reach out to Public Matters to explore what these developments mean for you, and how we can assist you in assuring your public affairs activities are executed in the most effective way.

Bellingcat receives Machiavelli Award 2019

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The Machiavelli Award 2019 has been granted to the investigative journalism collective Bellingcat. That has been announced today by the board of the Machiavelli Foundation. The Machiavelli Award is annually granted for a remarkable achievement in the field of public communication.

Bellingcat receives the award because of “its innovative ways of investigative journalism leading to repeated and pioneering scoops”, according to the jury report. “Bellingcat has given a new impulse to thorough investigative journalism in an era where fake news seems to appear more and more. This innovation is a great example for traditional media and aspiring journalists. While traditional media are often hesitant to share their knowledge and their approach, Bellingcat encourages just that. Bellingcat deserves praise for consciously spreading their knowledge”.

“Bellingcat’s revelations about MH17 have made a worldwide impact and in The Netherlands in particular”, so states the jury report.

The board of the Machiavelli Foundation has found Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, willing to receive the Machiavelli Award 2019.

The award will be granted on Wednesday 12 February by Marja Wagenaar, chairperson of the Machiavelli Foundation in Press Centre Nieuwspoort (The Hague). It is the 31st time that the award is granted. The meeting starts at 17h. Entry from 16.30h.

Previous prize winners included ‘the endangered mayor’, SheDecides, Hugo Borst & Carin Gaemers, the Dutch Safety Board, RTL Netherlands, Mayor Eberhard van der Laan, Bauke Vaatstra, H.K.H. Princess Máxima, national coach Bert van Marwijk and investigative journalist Jeroen Smit.

Roxane van Iperen, bestselling author of ‘The Sisters of Auschwitz’ about two Jewish sisters in the Dutch resistance movement in WWII, will give the Machiavelli Lecture, titled “Upset and insecurity: a plea for an uncompromising life”, prior to the award ceremony.

If you would like to attend the meeting, please registerhere.

The photo of this article is made by Marius Nyheim Kristoffersen.

UPDATE DUTCH POLITICS: What a year it was in the Lowlands!

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Brief recap of 2019 and what to expect in 2020.

With 2 elections, multiple political scandals and a booming economy – 2019 was a year to remember. But with upcoming elections (in 2021) and tensions in the coalition government – 2020 promises to be another exciting year as well.

Elections 2019: big wins eurosceptic Forum for Democracy and eurocrat Timmermans

  • The most remarkable result in the March provincial & Senate elections was the huge win of Forum for Democracy, a right-wing and Eurosceptic party led by Thierry Baudet. The party gained 12 seats. Later this year, front man Baudet clashed with his leading man for Senate and co-founder Henk Otten due to alleged misuse of party finances. Otten left FvD, taking two senators and a bunch of local politicians with him, to form his own party Groep Otten. Baudet’s party is now left with 9 seats in Senate. The same elections led the coalition government to lose its majority in Senate – but they’ve found their support in GreenLeft and Labor in 2019.
  • On 23 May Frans Timmermans pulled his Labor’s EP-faction to the number one position in the Netherlands by running as Spitzenkandidat for S&D – delivering a solid 6 seats. Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) lost big this year, after many voters switched to Forum for Democracy. The Socialist Party – led by Lilian Marijnissen – has been in trouble for longer, having lost seats in four consecutive elections (national, municipal, provincial and European). Both parties did not return to the European Parliament after May.

Dutch pockets are deeper than ever

  • The Dutch economy is doing well: economic growth 2019 is 1,8% of GDP and in 2020 it is projected at 1,5%. Overall the economy is strong – with a national debt to decrease to less than 50% of GDP. Unemployment rate will increase slightly from 3,5%. Factors that impact international trade continue to affect the Dutch economy, as the Netherlands’ internationally oriented economy is vulnerable to global market disturbances. All budgets proposed on budget day (17 September) passed through Senate on 17 December – in time for FY2020.

Farmers rebel and tensions in the coalition

  • One of the biggest political events of this year were the farmer’s protests. On multiple occasions, farmers disagreeing with measures announced to reduce emissions took to The Hague and several provincial governments, using tractors and trucks to disrupt traffic and occupy squares. This led to the coalition government reconsidering their options in emission reduction. Eventually, PM Mark Rutte’s VVD was forced to give in on one of the parties oldest principles – to lower speed limits from 130 km/h to 100 on most highways. Whether the voter is prepared to punish the VVD for this move will be seen in the 2021 elections.
  • This year saw two ‘political casualties’ in Mark Rutte’s cabinet. State secretary for Justice and Security, Mark Harbers, had to put down his function due to miscommunications in the reporting of crimes committed by asylum seekers. In addition, the Dutch saw the State secretary for Finance, Menno Snel, depart following a series of scandals related unjust recall of childcare allowances. Harbers has been replaced by the VVD’s Broekers-Knol – but finding a D66-replacement willing to clean up the issues at Finance will prove a lot harder.
  • Currently, the Dutch participation in the international coalition against IS’ bombing of Hawija (Iraq) in 2015 is the most volatile and dangerous issue on the political agenda for our coalition government. The bombing of the Iraqi installation resulted in over 70 civilian casualties. In October, the impact of the bombing was extensively researched by Dutch news organizations NOS and NRC. Their revelations led to the conclusion that the Ministry of Defense was aware of the casualties in the year of the bombardment – but refrained from informing parliament. Currently, Minister of Defense, Ank Bijleveld, is having trouble defending her predecessor’s decisions.

2020 & 2021: to effectively lobby election manifestos you should start now

  • The year 2020 promises to be a very eventful political year as well. With the upcoming 2021 elections for the Lower House, political tensions within the coalition government are becoming more apparent. Political parties are busy preparing for the new elections. Committees have been installed to write election programmes and new candidate lists. The first foundations for the party programmes have been laid in discussion documents. During the party congresses, these plans are being actively discussed with members. The more important themes for the elections are beginning to take shape.
  • There is still room for input to the election manifestos, especially now. An effective lobby starts early, and has a grasp on who does what in these early stages. For example, does your organization have an interest in making changes to, or maintaining, the current healthcare system? Make sure you know which civil servants in the ministries are involved in the preparatory studies, which working groups within political parties are involved in healthcare policy and which stakeholders from the ‘field’ (possibly) have similar interests.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Public Matters to explore what we can do for you in the run-up to the 2021 elections.

Tech expert Elisabeth van der Steenhoven new Associate at Public Matters

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Elisabeth van der Steenhoven has started at Public Matters as an Associate.

In this role she will use her expertise with regard to new technologies, and issues such as cyber security and fake news, to strengthen cooperation between businesses, knowledge institutions and governments. Elisabeth is a member of the Advisory Council on International Affairs and has a wide network in The Netherlands and abroad.

Elisabeth van der Steenhoven:

” I am really looking forward to my new role at Public Matters – to support (international) clients in the field of public affairs. This also includes tech & crypto pioneers. Amazing how they are changing the world – they are the Galileos of our time. It is important that this is done in a responsible manner, with respect for privacy and data ownership. ”

Bas Batelaan, Managing Partner at Public Matters:

” Elisabeth is a very driven professional with a lot of knowledge and experience – especially in the field of cyber security and technological developments. This makes her of great value to many of our clients.”

Another new hire: Tom Kunzler is a generalist with a focus on the tech sector

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We are very happy to anounce that Tom Kunzler has joined the Public Matters team.

As a dedicated consultant Tom will mainly focus on clients in the tech sector, using his broad experience in this fast growing sector and his extensive knowledge of tech and IT-related issues. Fast technological developments and increasing calls for regulation in this sector make the public affairs function of organisations even more important, and with his extensive expertise he provides support to navigate through this environment in the most effective way.

Background in politics and public affairs

As an allrounder with a focus on tech Tom will use his experience from local politics where he has had various roles within the Dutch Liberal Democratic Party (D66). Currently, he is secretary of communications for D66 in the city of Utrecht. He has worked five years at Open State Foundation, the leading Dutch NGO on public sector transparency, where he was responsible for advocacy on issues regarding election transparency, mobility as a service and freedom of information. In addition to his work at Public Matters Tom loves craft beer, festivals and electronic dance music.