Meet our Members: Ministry of Economic Affairs

In Meet our Members, Connekt puts one of its members in the spotlight every two weeks. We highlight their involvement in the network and their contribution to current themes in mobility and logistics. This week, we are featuring the Ministry of Economic Affairs!

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ) is committed to a strong economic foundation and a high pace of innovation in the Netherlands. It combines policy development with public-private partnership, ensuring that entrepreneurs and society are prepared for the challenges of the future.

Logistics as a cornerstone of earning capacity and resilience

As the Ministry of Economic Affairs, we focus on a strong economic foundation and continuously raising the bar. Logistics is a crucial prerequisite in this regard. A robust logistical infrastructure and reliable supply chains are not only indispensable for a well-functioning, innovative, and internationally oriented economy; they are also vital for our economic resilience, including in the event of military conflicts. Logistics thus forms the cornerstone of both our earning capacity and our resilience.

The unique Dutch expertise in the field of chain orchestration and the strong position in international flows of goods and raw materials contribute significantly to this.

Challenges and opportunities in a changing world

Due to geopolitical shifts, dynamics in supply and demand, and rapid technological developments, strong logistics can no longer be taken for granted. The sector faces the challenge of responding to complex issues, from digitalization to the need for greater resilience, through entrepreneurship and innovation. The lessons learned from this simultaneously represent important new earning capacity.

Disruptions caused by geopolitical developments, climate change, extreme weather, subversion, cyberattacks, or scarcity can seriously affect chains and logistical infrastructure, with consequences for both businesses and citizens. In the future, this will place high demands on the reliability and resilience of infrastructure and chains. At the same time, this necessity for adaptation again offers important opportunities for the Netherlands.

Connekt: the bridge between public and private

Through our membership in Connekt, we as the Ministry of Economic Affairs are part of a large and active network of logistical companies and organizations. Connekt facilitates public-private meetings and the initiation, broadening, or deepening of the conversation on current themes.

The concrete insights and experiences from the business community and the follow-up discussions these generate are of great value to us. The specific role that Connekt plays with its focus on implementation, application, and scaling up is essential for achieving our goals.

Focus on economic resilience

A concrete example where all this comes together is the theme of resilience. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is committed to increasing companies' awareness of the impact of large-scale disruptions and their preparation for them. Together with Connekt, we have organized meetings on scenarios such as long-term power or telecom outages, and the impact of potential military conflict.

Economic resilience against military and hybrid threats is a major and multi-year task that can only be tackled through joint public-private efforts. The preparedness of companies for disruptions and conflict is of great importance, not only for themselves but also for their partners, customers, society, and the armed forces, for whom resilient logistical chains will be essential in the event of long-term disruptions or conflict.

Become a member of Connekt

Are you also interested in building the mobility and logistics of tomorrow? Then, like the Ministry of Economic Affairs, become a member of Connekt and work together with other members from government, business, and knowledge institutions on the major challenges of today.