Netherlands Innovation Policy Missing Circular Economy Focus, Expert Says
Netherlands, Sunday, 14 December 2025.
Guido Braam from Route Circulair criticizes the Netherlands’ Wennink report for overlooking circular economy principles as drivers of economic growth. Braam argues the December 2024 report on future prosperity missed a strategic opportunity by not treating material productivity as core to innovation policy. He proposes measuring success through reduced raw material usage per euro of added value, rather than just R&D spending, positioning circularity as economic security rather than environmental concern.
Three Strategic Action Points for Circular Integration
Braam’s critique, published on December 12, 2024, outlines three specific action points that should have been incorporated into the Wennink report [1]. First, he advocates treating raw materials as strategic capital, noting that the Netherlands is extremely dependent on imports and that accelerating reuse, repair, and high-quality recycling would reduce risks for industry, energy, and defense sectors [1]. The Route Circulair director emphasizes that circularity represents an economic security strategy rather than merely an environmental agenda [1].
Scaling Circular Business Models Beyond Pilot Programs
The second recommendation focuses on making circular business models scalable, from product-as-a-service to refurbishment and remanufacturing chains, which Braam argues represent structural employment and export potential [1]. Rather than continuing with pilot programs, he calls for standardization, financing, and procurement processes that explicitly create space for these models [1]. This approach directly challenges the current innovation framework that measures success primarily in R&D euros rather than material efficiency gains [1].
Material Productivity as Innovation Metric
Braam’s third point advocates linking innovation policy to material productivity, proposing that success should be measured not just in R&D spending but in reduced primary raw materials per euro of added value [1]. He argues for steering material productivity and circularity through the same systems currently used for high-tech and AI development [1]. This represents a fundamental shift from viewing circular economy as a sustainability byproduct to positioning it as core to the Netherlands’ earning capacity [1].
Industry Response and Broader Context
The Wennink report, presented on December 10, 2024, to Minister-President Dick Schoof and Minister Vincent Karremans, emphasized technology, innovation, and international competitiveness while identifying energy and climate technologies as key domains [2]. The chemical industry welcomed the report’s recognition of their sector’s importance, with chemical production in the Netherlands having decreased by over 20% in the last three years [4]. The report includes an investment agenda exceeding €20 billion for chemistry-related projects, including €9.3 billion for greening crackers and methanol-to-olefins, and €0.9 billion specifically for circular plastics [4]. Route Circulair plans to release comprehensive data on thousands of Dutch companies during the circular economy week, demonstrating the sector’s ambition and movement toward circular principles [1].