- In 2020 Southeast Netherlands will be among the Top 3 of Europe's top technology regions and in the top ten on a global scale. Southeast Netherlands is current number 9 in Europe and number 13 in the world.
- The annual contribution to the gross national product will have risen in 2020 by 40 billion to 136 billion euros.
- The economic growth in Southeast Netherlands of around 3% is double our country's average.
- The three field labs will be world renowned in 2020 as an incubator of innovative solutions for home care, mobility and sustainable buildings.
- In 2020 Southeast Netherlands will be heading for near full employment. The job market needs everyone, both the knowledge workers and highly educated technicians and manual skilled workers and craftsmen.
These are the ambitions expressed in 2020, Top Economy, Smart Society. Brainport 2020 is a Cabinet assignment comprising a vision and strategy along with a tangible implementation programme. The assignment reads: "Develop, parallel with the airport and seaport visions, a cohesive and comprehensive vision of Brainport. At the level of Southeast Netherlands with Brainport its pivot and with a focus on cross-border links to Flanders and Nordrhein-Westfalen."
The Cabinet wants to make the Dutch economy one of the world's top five economies and has therefore opted to focus on top sectors. Especially High Tech Systems & Materials, Chemistry and Agrofood are substantial contributors to the Dutch economy. These three sectors account for 68% of all private spending on research and development, and together make up almost half of all Dutch exports, the engine of the economic growth. World players, multinationals and small and medium sized enterprises with strong export positions in these sectors are located in Southeast Netherlands. It is only if the knowledge economy of Southeast Netherlands gets the room it needs to grow that a top 5 spot can be achieved fot the country. Compared with top regions around the world with a similar business and technology profile, a European top 3 spot in and world top 10 ranking are feasible for Southeast Netherlands. But to achieve this, specific action and investment are necessary. And these are outlined in Brainport 2020.
Click here to read the full article.