The Netherlands should invest even more than it currently does. This is stated by the European Commission in a report on the Dutch budget for next year. Germany also has its budget well in order, according to the Commission, allowing financial room for investments.
The Netherlands has been using its budget surplus for several years to reduce the national debt. The European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) believe the Rutte cabinet should invest that money, for example in higher wages and greening the economy. Next year, the Netherlands still has room to invest more, and Brussels thinks the government should do so.
The Netherlands says it will already invest “very heavily” next year, with extra funds for infrastructure, youth care, education, defense, and the housing market. Minister Wopke Hoekstra (Finance) considers the Dutch budget “balanced.” According to the minister, this is important so the Netherlands does not have to immediately cut spending as soon as the economy slows down.
For the first time in years, there are no countries in the eurozone with a large budget deficit. Only France has a deficit exceeding 3 percent, but according to the Commission, that is temporary. Outside the eurozone, Hungary and Romania are the EU countries that spend too much.
Nine euro countries, including the Netherlands, actually have a surplus. Estonia and Latvia largely comply with the rules, while eight European countries risk not meeting the rules. These include Belgium, Spain, France, and Italy, which have excessively high national debts. Italy's government debt even threatens to rise further to 137.4 percent of gross national product. According to the rules, it must not exceed 60 percent.