Netherlands Urged to Shift Trade Toward Growing Workforces

Ageing Economies are a Dependency
According to the WRR, current trading and labour migration by the Netherlands is largely reliant on countries with rapidly declining working-age populations (i.e. China and Eastern Europe). The WRR also indicates that as the global economy continues its transition to grow high-growth areas in the world where the working-age population continues to grow, the quantity of labour migrants from primary EU suppliers and potential sources will decrease. Without interventions, the Netherlands will see an increase in product prices, limited access to potential sources of new market opportunities and worsening shortages of labour, which will likely hinder future housing development plans for the Netherlands.

Building Stronger Relations with Emerging Countries
The WRR provides recommendations for intervention to increase opportunities for The Netherlands by increasing the level and quality of trading, labour migration and development partnership relationships between The Netherlands and emerging countries (i.e. Countries with increasing working-age populations). Countries, such as India and Indonesia, as well as eventual regions of sub-Saharan Africa, are expected to see substantial amounts of growth in their working-age populations. The WRR recommends that the Netherlands should enter into trade agreements and explore labour migration agreements with non-EU Countries. Additionally, the WRR recommends investment in and development assistance to emerging countries that exhibit strong demographic potential. This will allow for the development of long-term, strong and sustainable relationships, thereby supporting the ability of The Netherlands to capitalise on emerging opportunities in the future.