In a column in Het Financieele Dagblad, Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets Chair Laura van Geest argued that Dutch political debate is too domestically focused given the country’s dependence on trade, foreign assets and international stability. She called for a clearer strategy to address geopolitical threats, climate change and weak economic growth through European and broader international cooperation. Van Geest said European scale is needed to strengthen strategic autonomy, counter the market power of big technology companies and support domestic artificial intelligence capacity. She also linked fragmented European financial markets and the incomplete single market to start-ups’ difficulty securing financing and expanding, which can push them toward the United States. On security and climate, she argued that the Netherlands cannot act effectively alone and that cooperation may require different international partners depending on the issue.
2026-09-25Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets
Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets chair urges stronger Dutch strategy for European and international cooperation
Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets Chair Laura van Geest called for Dutch policymakers to look beyond domestic concerns and pursue stronger European and international cooperation. She highlighted security, climate change, technology and fragmented European financial markets as challenges that the Netherlands cannot address alone.