BHOS-beleidsnota
Reactie
| Naam | Anoniem |
|---|---|
| Plaats | Utrecht |
| Datum | 15 april 2022 |
Vraag1
(see english below)Nexus (samenhang) Ontwikkelingssamenwerking & Buitenlandse Handel
Het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven kan door middel van handel, investeringen en marktkracht een belangrijke rol spelen bij een aantal van de grote wereldwijde uitdagingen van deze tijd. Om de Nederlandse inzet richting het bedrijfsleven een focus mee te geven wordt gekozen voor een focus op de “twin-transities”; de digitale transitie (via onder meer artificiële intelligentie) en de verduurzamingtransitie. Deze twin-transities op digitale innovatie en verduurzaming zullen de komende jaren een grote rol spelen om de Parijs en Glasgow-doelen voor klimaat te halen. Die doelen moeten we in Nederland halen, maar ook wereldwijd. Hoewel er een grote behoefte is aan Nederlandse expertise en investeringen, zien we dat meer nodig kan zijn om het Nederlandse bedrijven te betrekken bij deze transities in (lage en) midden-inkomenslanden.
1. Hoe kan het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven meer betrokken worden bij de twin-transitie in (lage en) midden-inkomenslanden?
(EN)
Nexus between development cooperation and foreign trade
Through their trade, investment and market position, Dutch businesses can play a key role in tackling some of the major challenges facing the world today. The focus of Dutch policy vis-a-vis the private sector will be on the 'twin transitions' of digitalisation (including artificial intelligence) and sustainability – both of which will be key to achieving the Paris and Glasgow climate goals in the years ahead. We must achieve these goals not only in the Netherlands, but across the world as a whole. While Dutch expertise and investment funding are in great demand, we also see that more may be needed when it comes to getting Dutch companies involved in these transitions in low- and middle-income countries.
1. How can we increase the involvement of Dutch companies in the twin transitions in low- and middle-income countries?
The Dutch government can ensure and accompany an effective adoption and implementation of the upcoming Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) legislation and Textile Regulation at the European level. This can encourage a frontrunner position for Dutch companies integrating the HRDD and broader sustainability concepts in their business.
IDH welcomes the proposed EU regulation on deforestation-free products and IDH has published a proposal with two key steps that would encourage forest positive strategies in critical areas for deforestation, building on the leverage that European supply chains have. These proposals can, by extension, increase the involvement of Dutch companies in the sustainability transition as they can help improve the effectiveness of the regulation.
Step one: Classify those jurisdictions that have time-bound, credible plans to get zero-deforestation as ‘transitional risk’ and for European governments and consumer goods companies to offer support to achieve their goals. Step two: Vary the information collection requirements depending on the level of risk of the country or jurisdiction. Further details are available at https://www.idhsustainabletrade.com/publication/eu-regulation-on-deforestation-free-products.
The Netherlands can partner with African governments on transitions roadmaps, e.g. for addressing climate risks and enabling sustainable development in key agricultural sectors and/or value chains. New opportunities for Dutch companies will emerge from these roadmaps. Organisations like IDH can convene such agendas.
Dutch companies can provide for example satellite capacity and data for monitoring of irrigation, deforestation and land use, that can inform businesses and policymakers in efforts to implement climate-friendly solutions.
Impartial and independent benchmarking should play an important role in finding a balance between leveraging existing solutions and efforts. Market conform support is needed for sustainable international business via de-risking of ambitious activities and investments.
Vraag2
Nederland kent een lange traditie van publieke private samenwerking. Nu de mondiale uitdagingen steeds groter worden, is het van belang deze publiek-private samenwerkingen te verdiepen en te versnellen. De duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen zijn in 2015 vastgesteld als actieplan voor overheden, bedrijven, kennisinstellingen en burgers om duurzame ontwikkeling te verwezenlijken wereldwijd.2. Hoe kunnen overheid, bedrijfsleven en kennisinstellingen beter samenwerken om de duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen te halen?
(EN)
The Netherlands has a long tradition of public-private partnership. As the global challenges grow ever bigger, it is important to deepen and accelerate these partnerships. The Sustainable Development Goals were presented in 2015 as a plan of action for governments, companies, knowledge institutions and private individuals to achieve sustainable development worldwide.
2. How can government, the private sector and knowledge institutions work together better to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
IDH is a strong promoter of collaboration and partnerships to achieve the 2030 Agenda. We bring together the right parties, government, CSOs and the private sector, and facilitate their cooperation towards ambitious sustainability goals. In this way, we create a level playing field in which different parties can use their knowledge to provide the right resources and innovative solutions towards sustainability. Partnerships and collaboration ensure a healthy ecosystem, which benefit the people and the planet. The European Union’s efforts towards the SDGs can benefit from more scalable approaches that take the complexity of dynamic systems into account. The Netherlands can offer scalability by linking the tested partnership, covenant and sector approach with the EU and global level. Drawing learnings from the existing partnerships, pushing convening work to the level that works for the goals ahead and building on what exists will help accelerate delivery at scale.
A good example of this is the Dutch Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa, where IDH brought the cocoa sector together with over fifty parties in the cocoa value chain. IDH set up this multi-stakeholder coalition, that is now actively working on improving the living income of farmers, tackling child labour and halt deforestation.
The nexus between aid and trade lies at the heart of IDH’s existence, our multi-annual strategy and overall theory of systems change. The development of roadmaps, regeneration of landscapes and transparency across value chains can support better multistakeholder cooperation towards the SDGs.
Vraag3
Nederland heeft sinds 2016 een actieplan beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling. Beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling heeft als doel om in niet-hulp (OS) beleid schade voor ontwikkelingslanden te verminderen en synergiën en samenwerking te versterken. Het Nederlandse actieplan is in 2018 herzien en geeft een overzicht van vijf Nederlandse beleidsthema’s die een invloed hebben op de ontwikkelingskansen in ontwikkelingslanden. Deze thema’s zijn: (1) het tegengaan van belastingontwijking/ontduiking, (2) ontwikkelingsvriendelijke handelsakkoorden, (3) een ontwikkelingsvriendelijk investeringsregime, (4) verduurzaming van productie en handel en (5) het tegengaan van klimaatverandering.3. Hoe kan de bovengenoemde Nederlandse inzet op beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling verder versterkt of verbeterd worden?
(EN)
The Netherlands has had an action plan on policy coherence for development since 2016. The aim of policy coherence is to reduce the negative effects on developing countries caused by policies in areas other than development, and to strengthen synergies and cooperation. The action plan, which was revised in 2018, identifies five Dutch policy themes that can enhance developing countries’ opportunities for development: (1) combating tax avoidance/evasion, (2) development-friendly trade agreements, (3) a development-friendly investment regime, (4) more sustainable production and trade, and (5) combating climate change.
3. How can the Netherlands’ efforts to achieve policy coherence for development be further strengthened or enhanced?
The Netherlands’ efforts to achieve greater policy coherence for development can be strengthened by supporting and engaging with the intersections between multiple levels of governance, public private partnerships and multistakeholder alliances. Possible negative effects of policies in areas other than development can be foreseen and risks managed by strengthening communication and cooperation with international industry associations, associations of local and regional governments in addition to traditional government to government partnership. Due consideration should be paid to the interplay between European level legislation and national legislation. In cases where there is a risk of negative effects and EU support packages are not applicable or not foresee, legislation and/or support mechanisms can be designed at the right level to improve preparedness. Existing organizations and facilities for learning and innovation can support better informed decision-making. Further, aid and trade can be approached from a combined perspective by working on push/pull dynamics and trade flows in the context of national economy thinking.
Vraag4
Buitenlandse HandelInternationale handel en investeringen zijn van groot belang voor de Nederlandse welvaart en werkgelegenheid. De Nederlandse welvaart wordt voor een derde verdiend door internationale handel en een derde van onze banen zijn verbonden aan internationale handel. Onze internationale concurrentiepositie is onderhevig aan de “twin-transities” (digitalisering/innovatie en klimaat/duurzaamheid) en verschuivende geopolitieke verhoudingen. Het is voor Nederland van groot belang om het verdienvermogen te versterken nu en in de toekomst.
Strategisch en duurzaam handelsbeleid
In anticipatie op de geopolitieke en transitie-ontwikkelingen sturen ook buitenlandse staten sterker op hun nationale en internationale beleid. Zo passen staten in toenemende mate assertievere economische diplomatie toe en zetten zij economische machtsinstrumenten in om hun internationale doelen na te jagen. Nederland kan hierin niet achter blijven. De verwevenheid van ons land met de rest van de wereld is groter en kwetsbaarder dan ooit. Als onderdeel van een samenhangend buitenland beleid, zal Nederland zich toeleggen op een strategisch en duurzaam handelsbeleid.
4. Hoe kan de overheid het duurzame verdienvermogen van Nederlandse bedrijven in het buitenland versterken?
Foreign trade
International trade and investment are crucial to prosperity and jobs in the Netherlands. International trade accounts for a third of our national income and is linked to a third of our jobs. But our international competitiveness faces risks posed by the twin transitions (digitalisation/innovation and climate/sustainability) and the shifting geopolitical balance of power. It is therefore vital for the Netherlands to strengthen its earning capacity, both now and in the future.
Strategic and sustainable trade policy
Other states are also anticipating the above-mentioned transitions and geopolitical shifts, and are adjusting their national and international policies accordingly, for instance by pursuing their international objectives through more aggressive economic diplomacy and the use of economic instruments of power. The Netherlands cannot afford to fall behind. Our country’s interconnections with the rest of the world are both greater and more fragile than ever. The Netherlands will therefore focus on strategic and sustainable trade policy as part of its coherent foreign policy.
4. How can the government strengthen Dutch companies’ sustainable earning capacity abroad?
The government can strengthen Dutch companies’ sustainable earning capacity by enabling convening and actively participating in partnerships at the national, European or global level. Through collaboration, information sharing and transparency, the government can improve the competitive position of (Dutch) companies and minimise environmental or humanitarian risks. This can also strengthen the Netherlands’ role as sustainability leader, spark innovation, create jobs and improve the quality and health benefits of products for the Dutch consumer. In the runup to the EU’s ambitious legislation and enabling Dutch companies to secure a pioneering role, producing countries will be encouraged to trade within Dutch international value chains, ensuring their access to EU markets via more sustainable value chains.
Vraag5
Thema’s en sectoren van de toekomstNu de wereld in transitie is om een goede toekomst voor ons en de generaties na ons te bewerkstelligen verandert de focus van bedrijven, overheid en kennisinstellingen.
5. Op welke thema’s of sectoren ziet u kansen om internationaal te ondernemen?
(EN)
Themes and sectors of the future
The focus of companies, governments and knowledge institutions is changing in light of the global transition to ensure a bright future for current and future generations.
5. In which themes or sectors do you see opportunities for international enterprise?
IDH sees possibilities within the different large and important Dutch sectors. For example in Flowers, the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI), as part of the IDH Fresh and Ingredients program, convenes the industry around improved production practices, with regards to both social and environmental perspectives. The FSI currently has 45 organizations aligned behind commitments to increasing the volume of sustainably sourced flowers and plants. IDH also drives the Sustainable Spices Initiative or SIFAV, in which over 40 partners have committed to 100% sustainable sourcing of fresh fruit and vegetables. And there a lot of other examples in other sectors, from coffee, tea, cocoa, to palm oil and soy. There is a great willingness from Dutch companies in different sectors to work on sustainability and a high sense of urgency to make the transition. Nature-based solutions are a further field with potential for future international enterprise.
Vraag6
Samenwerking publiek-privaat en rol Midden en Klein Bedrijf (MKB)Een succesvolle aanpak op het gebied van internationale handel vraagt samenwerking tussen burgers, bedrijven, maatschappelijke organisaties en de overheid. Het is nuttig om aan te sluiten op de behoeftes van de markt. Waar zijn bedrijven (specifiek het MKB) mee geholpen om de exportkracht en innovatiekracht te vergroten?
6. Hoe kan de overheid het bedrijfsleven (specifiek het MKB) dat internationaal onderneemt (of dat zou willen) beter ondersteunen om zaken te doen in het buitenland?
a. Welke ondersteuning hebben bedrijven nodig om internationaal succesvol te zijn op terreinen van digitale innovatie (innovatiesamenwerking) en verduurzaming?
b. Voor handel met welke landen (of regio’s of markten) zou ondersteuning moeten zijn?
c. Wat zou de overheid op het gebied van handelsbevordering niet meer moeten doen?
(EN)
Public-private cooperation and role of SMEs
A successful approach to international trade requires cooperation between the public, companies, civil society and government. It is also useful to align with market demand. What would help companies, and SMEs in particular, to increase their export performance and innovative capacity?
6. How can the government better support companies (and SMEs specifically), that are doing or wish to do business abroad?
a. What type of support do companies need in order to achieve international success in the areas of digital innovation (innovation partnerships) and sustainability?
b. For what countries, regions or markets should the government provide private sector support?
c. What type of trade promotion activities should the government stop doing?
a.
Companies need support with de-risking. Investment lags behind market-readiness in innovative sustainable business models because of risk. Companies need the possibility for learning and exchange in a safe pre-competitive space. This has been made possible among cocoa companies as part of the Cocoa and Forests Initiative. Help is needed to avoid perverse effects of upcoming sustainability / HRDD / Deforestation and other regulations. The recommendations put forward in Question 1 regarding the regulation on deforestation-free products also apply here. Companies also need support to stimulate sourcing from challenging areas in a market conform manner rather and to avoid leakage effects.
b.
We recommend a two-phased approach. Start by targeting countries already well integrated into business and trade networks. In a longer-term approach, prepare the path towards sourcing from and trading with LDC/fragile states. In both cases, allow organizations to test/fail/learn in those contexts, develop enabling policy and enable development of tools.
Vraag7
OntwikkelingssamenwerkingDevelopment cooperation
Nederlandse inzet op Ontwikkelingssamenwerking
Nederland is op verschillende thema’s actief op gebied van ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Zo investeren we in het realiseren van de Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) en zetten we extra in op opvang in de regio, toegang tot vaccins, klimaatadaptatie en -mitigatie. Nederland gaat door met wat goed gaat en focust op waar Nederland goed in is, zoals verbinding tussen diplomatie en ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Meer informatie over het ontwikkelingssamenwerkingsbeleid van Nederland is te vinden op www.nlontwikkelingssamenwerking.nl.
7. Waar is Nederland op het gebied van ontwikkelingssamenwerking volgens u goed in? Op welke thema’s zou Nederland een aanjagende rol kunnen vervullen?
(EN)
Dutch development cooperation activities
The Netherlands is actively pursuing a number of policy themes in the area of development cooperation. For example, we're investing in efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reception in the region, access to vaccines, and climate adaptation and mitigation. The Netherlands will continue its efforts in areas where progress is being made and will focus on its strengths, such as linking diplomacy and development. For more information about Dutch development policy, go to www.nlontwikkelingssamenwerking.nl.
7. In your opinion, what are the Netherlands’ strengths when it comes to development cooperation? In which policy themes could the Netherlands play a leading role?
The Netherlands is well positioned to expand the scope, level and scale of Public Private Partnerships, focussing on creating multi-stakeholder coalitions and covenants and taking multilevel governance into account. IDH believes there are a number of themes very important as to create better livelihoods: Contributing to closing the Living wage gap as well as the living income gap. We have therefore created a Roadmap to Living Wages and a Roadmap to Living Income. These roadmaps provide supply chain partners to take steps towards closing those gaps.
In the case of the Roadmap to Living Wages, companies need practical tools to identify the gaps between what workers are paid and accepted living wage benchmarks, and support to find solutions to reduce the gaps. The Salary Matrix developed by IDH and the Rainforest Alliance provides companies with relevant information and facilitates them to use the data available to them to improve their businesses and workers’ lives.
The Netherlands can play a leading role in efforts to address gender inequality. If women were empowered with equal access, evidence (https://www.mercycorpsagrifin.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/210512_Gender_AgriFin-Case-Study-VF_Final.pdf) shows that agricultural output in developing countries could rise by 2.5%-4%, to feed an additional 100-150 million people.
Two-thirds of companies surveyed by the International Labour Organization agreed that diversity initiatives improve their business outcomes. Sixty-one percent of enterprises in the agricultural, forestry, and fishing sectors reported that gender diverse policies have contributed to increased profits and productivity, according to data from IDH’s 2020 Gender Toolkit (https://www.idhsustainabletrade.com/uploaded/2022/01/Gender-Toolkit-with-Guide-1.pdf).
Recent data insights from IDH Farmfit show that of the 58 companies IDH worked with to provide improved services to farmers, 2% of the companies were ‘gender transformative’, 28% were ‘gender intentional’ and 70% of them were ‘gender unintentional’, meaning that they did not take steps to consider the differing needs and constraints of men and women.
Vraag8
Innoveren op OSNederlandse internationale samenwerking is flexibel en kennisintensief, we zijn vernieuwend. Zo ontwikkelt Nederland nieuwe manieren van werken en partnerschappen die daarna door bijv. de Europese Commissie en Wereldbank worden opgepakt of opgeschaald. De Nederlandse internationale samenwerking fungeert dus veelal als een creatieve en kennisintensieve incubator (een broedplaats voor nieuwe ideeën. Nederland is een relatief kleine donor, maar als lidstaat van de EU en via bilaterale hulp kan Nederland de zichtbaarheid van EU-hulp vergroten en additionele relevante kapitaalstromen generen.
8. Op welke manier en op welk vlak kan de Nederlandse ontwikkelingssamenwerking nog meer innoveren?
(EN)
Innovative development cooperation
Dutch international cooperation is flexible and knowledge-intensive. We are also innovative, developing new ways of working and new types of partnership that are subsequently adopted or scaled up by others, like the European Commission and the World Bank. In this respect, Dutch international cooperation is like a creative and knowledge-intensive incubator. We are a relatively small donor, but as an EU member state and through bilateral aid we can make EU aid more visible and generate additional, relevant capital flows.
8. In what other ways and areas could Dutch development cooperation innovate more?
EU Member States play a vital role in creating fair trade agreements. A market system prepared for the future should be better balanced and support the autonomy of local markets and local value chains, enhancing local food security and supporting local development. As part of IDH’s Value Chain Development programmes in Nigeria, a block farming model was able to combine cassava processors’ control over farming land with access to finance and agronomic training, leading to community food security, reduction in side-selling and fewer postharvest losses. This provides a win-win arrangement between processing companies and smallholder farmers that lacks in other outgrower schemes.
The Netherlands should choose for a stronger focus on trade missions, paying attention to the important Dutch trading posts in the African countries; the Dutch Embassies. As part of the enabling policy environment we need fair and just EU due diligence legislation as the basis of our trade agreement with Africa. We need to support countries, companies, producers, and farmers to meet the requirements. Only in partnership, with investment, technical know-how and off-take agreements we can make this work.
Ideally The Netherlands seeks stronger engagement with EU and like-minded European governments to scale up the Dutch experience with public-private partnerships.
Vraag9
Een donor met durfDe Nederlandse internationale inzet is gedurfd, omdat we financiële investeringen koppelen aan onze diplomatieke inzet en expertise. We continueren thema’s waar we traditionele meerwaarde hebben: seksuele en reproductieve rechten en gezondheid (SRGR), water, voedselzekerheid en veiligheid & rechtsorde. Daarbij kunnen we nog meer gebruik maken van het diplomatieke gewicht van o.a. de EU. We investeren in systeemverandering om te zorgen dat we de SDG’s in 2030 realiseren. Met systeemverandering bedoelen we dat we de systemen die armoede en ongelijkheid in stand houden aanpakken.
9. Op welke manier/welk vlak kan Nederland als donor nog meer durf te tonen?
(EN)
A bold donor
Dutch international efforts can be characterised as bold, because we link financial investment to diplomatic efforts and expertise. We will continue our work on themes where we have always added value: sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), water, food security, and security and the rule of law. We will also make better use of the diplomatic weight of the EU. To ensure we achieve the SDGs by 2030, we will invest in systemic change, i.e. tackling the structures that maintain poverty and inequality.
9. In what ways or areas could the Netherlands, as a donor, be even bolder?
Stronger engagement of EU and like-minded European governments to scale up the Dutch experience with public-private partnerships. In initiatives or programs aiming to bring about systemic change, monitoring and assessment approaches that focus on holistic results would be more applicable. Requirements to deliver on KPI's in amounts of farmers supported, field level projects, etc., can present a competing priority alongside the overall objective of bringing about systemic change in the sector. Operating in the context of complex system dynamics requires seeking new pathways, testing and learning and agile working for innovation. The interplay with peer-reviewed research can be beneficial here. For example, approaches can be assessed as to whether there is a foundation in the scientific literature in favour of that approach.
Vraag10
Afrondende algemene vraag10. Heeft u nog andere punten van aandacht die u vindt dat meegenomen dienen te worden in de nieuwe beleidsnota?
(EN)
General closing question
10. Are there any other points that you believe should be included in the new policy document?
Attention can be paid to push/pull dynamics and approaching value chains from both ends. We recommend a mapping of the existing footprint and sourcing practices of Dutch companies with a view to more sustainable trade more broadly, and how policy changes can impact sourcing and stimulate sourcing from challenging areas in the long term.
Some adjustments may be needed to existing trade rules. The rules by which we trade are based upon growth at the consumer country level. New trade rules that take both producing regions and consuming markets into account can contribute to a more just and equal food system.