Netherlands 1.2.6
May 25

Netherlands 1.2.6

  • May 25, 2019

In the development and implementation of cultural and media policy, the ministry of Education, Culture and Science collaborates with other government ministries. In the first place, ongoing consultations with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Affairs are essential to safeguard the interests of arts and culture. In some cases, committees for interdepartmental cooperation are installed – the duration of their existence may vary. Some examples of inter-ministerial or intergovernmental cooperation are:

  • The Ministry of Economic Affairs implemented the “top sector”-policy in 2011. The creative industries were one of the nine top sectors. This policy, aimed at stimulating the economic potential of these sectors, evolved into the Missie-gedreven innovatiebeleid (mission-driven innovation policy). This is a collaboration between a large group of Ministries (see chapter 2.5.1).
  • The Ministry of Justice and Security, Finance initiated a Gift Inheritance Tax Act (Geefwet) to stimulate philanthropy, including culture, by making it fiscally more attractive (see chapter 4.1.4).
  • The Ministry of Justice and Security is responsible for copyright legislation. The Copyright Act and the Neighbouring Rights Act protect literary, scientific and artistic works, and the creative achievements of artists. The Ministry of Justice implements these acts (see chapter 4.1.6).
  • The Central Government Real Estate Agency (Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning) administers the Percentageregeling voor beeldende kunst by which a certain percentage of the construction and renovation costs of government projects is to be spent on works of art (see chapter 4.2.4).
  • The Ministry of Infrastructure cooperates with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science on cultural heritage and spatial planning. The government aims to ensure that heritage is duly considered in the spatial development of the Netherlands. The Environment and Plannings act (Omgevingswet), implemented in 2024, is one of the instruments (see chapter 4.2.2).
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science share the responsibility for international cultural relations. (see chapter 1.4).
  • In media policy, collaboration between the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of Economic Affairs is important, since the government support of the Public Broadcaster implies intervention in media markets.
  • The revision of the Archives Act implies an intense collaboration between the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of the Interior (see chapter 4.2.2 ).