Dutch Government Reviews WBSO's Role in Advancing Innovation

2025-04-08 community

The Hague, Tuesday, 8 April 2025.
The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs highlights the significance of the WBSO scheme in driving innovation, underlining its impact on nearly €1 billion of private R&D investments.

Three Decades of Innovation Support

The WBSO (Wet Bevordering Speur- en Ontwikkelingswerk) has been a cornerstone of Dutch innovation policy for approximately 30 years, serving as an accessible and stable foundation for research and development initiatives [1]. The scheme’s effectiveness is particularly evident in its reach, with 97% of applications coming from SMEs, demonstrating its crucial role in fostering innovation across the Dutch business landscape [1][6].

Declining Support Rates in Technology Sector

Recent analysis reveals a concerning trend in the technology sector, where WBSO support has decreased from 7 cents to just over 4 cents per euro invested in R&D [1]. This decline is particularly significant given that the technology industry accounts for 38% of private R&D expenditures in the Netherlands [1]. The scheme currently provides up to 36% compensation for qualifying R&D costs, with an enhanced rate of 50% available during the first three years of application [3].

Economic Impact and Future Considerations

The WBSO’s effectiveness is demonstrated by its substantial economic impact, generating nearly €3 billion in public returns during 2022 [6]. According to recently released evaluation data from April 3, 2025, the program continues to serve as a vital catalyst for private sector innovation [4][5]. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is actively reviewing ways to strengthen the scheme to help achieve the national target of 3% R&D investment as a percentage of GDP [1].

Implementation Challenges

Current challenges facing the WBSO implementation include increased control pressure and administrative burdens that may be hampering companies’ ability to qualify projects under the scheme [1]. Additionally, there is growing attention on the need to expand WBSO coverage to include digital innovations for hardware applications, reflecting the evolving nature of technological development [1].

Bronnen

WBSO scheme R&D subsidy