Investing in the Future

NETHERLANDSINVESTING IN THE FUTURE.

ec.europa.eu/invest-eu | #investEU OPPORTUNITIES START HERE. #investEU To revive investments and growth, the European Union health-i-care supports people, ideas and visions across Europe The European Union is all about opportunities Europeans have already come up with original benefit from hands-on coaching and expertise EXPLORE THE that deliver real benefits and make a difference ideas for better education, modernised to ensure their projects provide real added value on a local level. Promoting growth, employment healthcare and a greener transport for the people and communities around them. and well-being across Europe is one of its main infrastructure, to cite but a few examples, and Results are visible thanks to knowledge-sharing STORIES BEHIND priorities. By investing in people’s ideas and visions, the EU has provided the means get tailor-made and research facilities, energy efficient buildings the EU removes obstacles and creates favourable projects off the ground. Where valuable or smart mobility solutions, which, in turn, lead EU INVESTMENT conditions for development and modernisation projects struggle to find investors, because to a more sustainable future for Europe’s cities across the continent. In support of the pioneering of perceived high risks, the EU may step in by and regions. 3D PRINT and entrepreneurial spirit of Europeans, the EU backing loans or providing funding for high Whether it’s helping local public transport CANAL HOUSE opens doors and empowers people to pursue potential projects. HyMove operators develop a zero-emission bus, their own innovative projects. When a delicatessen in the south of the providing funds to help refugees integrate URBAN FARMERS Netherlands needed funding to expand its into Dutch society, or ensuring job security business, the EU supported this initiative. for young people who have completed their DUTCH GAME GARDEN With a 50,000 euro microcredit and a bank education, EU funding boosts projects that BRIDGE REFUGEE LAUNCH PAD guarantee from the European Investment make a difference on a local level. Bank, the small company was able to build A number of these stories feature in this brochure. a bigger kitchen. As a result, the number of But look around you in your community and you employees rose from 6 to 16, the number of will see that behind European investments there is customers doubled and the turnover increased a wealth of stories waiting to be discovered. by 60 percent. VoLTE EU funding does not only offer financial support for projects. Project beneficiaries may also

TOKO BOPP 2 ec.europa.eu/invest-eu | #investEU OPPORTUNITIES START HERE. #investEU BRIDGE ROTTERDAM

in order to improve people’s lives in South job. It’s a lot more than just driving and selling Bridging the gap Rotterdam. tickets. You meet new people all the time on the bus and get to know them. Of course you During the first phase young people receive between school also have to keep a good eye on the traffic career advise covering everything from primary to vocational education. They obtain around you. So you’re always doing a lot of and work comprehensive information about a career different things at the same time. And that suits me to a T.” Each year some 600 young people in Rotterdam in healthcare, the port of Rotterdam or have the chance to enrol in a vocational technology. This way they are able to make One of BRIDGE’s objectives for 2020 is to a well-informed choice. education programme supported ensure that of all vocational education by €4.9 million in EU funding. What’s more, After completing their vocational education, students in South Rotterdam, 35 % and 15 % they enjoy a job guarantee at the end of it. they are offered a job at one of the attend technology and healthcare training participating employers. “This does not mean respectively. This represents some 600 people

© Willemse Levien that you will have a job for life, but it does per annum. mean you will be given a successful start to South Rotterdam faces a mismatch between your career,” says NPRZ director Marco Pastors. education programmes attended by young And that is precisely what Manuel Brito Lima people and demand from the business has been given. As of mid-2017, he has been community. Too many people opt for financial, working full-time as a bus driver for the administrative and legal education where only Rotterdam public transport company RET. few jobs are available. At the same time, there It was a logical choice since his mother still is a high demand in the technology, healthcare works there. “I’ve always worked since I was and food sectors. 18 and now I was ready to learn something new,” says Manuel, 26. “The RET together with The BRIDGE programme was initiated to correct the STC (shipping and transport) MBO college this imbalance between supply and demand. allowed me to attend a bus driver training Backed by the European Regional Development programme and, at the same time, obtain my Fund’s Urban Innovative Actions programme, MBO 2 (vocational education) diploma within BRIDGE is part of National Programme 10 months. This education programme was a Rotterdam South (NPRZ), which invests in really terrific way to start working at RET.” In one 5

“We had to invest because our turnover had 2017 was a terrific year, and she hopes 2018 Geleen’s increased so much,” says Frieda. “We wanted will be even better. She wants to open a second to grow further. But, unfortunately, we weren’t shop in Roermond and is working with Qredits Toko Bopp earns able to get a loan from a regular bank.” to see whether she can get a further loan to achieve this ambition. But then, Frieda’s accountant told her about rave reviews EU microcredits. These are special loans The owners of Indonesian-style shop Toko Bopp intended to stimulate growth among small in Geleen, in the Dutch province of Limburg, firms. Toko Bopp was able to renovate and were able to renovate and enlarge their premises expand thanks to a €50 000 loan from Qredits thanks to an EU-backed loan. As a result, turnover Microfinanciering Nederland, guaranteed by has increased by 60 % and the number of the European Investment Bank. A larger kitchen customers has doubled. was installed and six new staff members were hired, bringing the total to 16. Turnover subsequently increased by 60 %, the Toko Bopp in Geleen’s Annastraat is very well number of customers doubled from 60 to 120 known to the public. The sambal sauces which per day, and the shop keeps receiving more founder Kees Bopp started making in the 1960s positive reviews. are highly regarded by people of Indonesian “We’re always busy and that’s a good sign. origin in the Netherlands. When Frieda Bol took We score highly on rating websites. These are over the business in 2005, she knew what she not just numbers. Every single rating is from a had to do: walk in the steps of a legend. And satisfied customer,” say Frieda and her husband she has been extremely successful at it. Pieter, who also works at Toko Bopp. “We have Kees Bopp taught Frieda all the tricks of the a glass showcase with a huge assortment of trade and, under her guidance, Toko Bopp’s Indonesian dishes. All of these are made fresh reputation kept growing in Geleen and further every day. We have regular customers who always choose the same delicacy and other out. The toko (Indonesian for shop) actually customers who prefer to be surprised with increased in popularity. Customers from across something new.” the Netherlands now travel to Limburg to visit 7 the shop as the business continues to grow. But Frieda, 59, is not one to rest on her laurels. HyMove GELDERLAND, APELDOORN

pilot project to gain valuable experience with and requires only minimum maintenance. It is Emission-free zero-emission transport as all new buses have also practically noiseless,” says HyMove founder to be emission free by 2025. “We regard it as and co-owner Jan van Beckhoven. buses in our social responsibility to contribute to the Driver Ferry van Ark is pleased with the bus. “It introduction of zero-emission bus transport,” Gelderland says Syntus’ managing director Cees Anker. is really easy to operate and a delight to drive. It “Much useful experience has been gained with is really quiet and I am satisfied with it, but the Emitting no harmful substances, fuel cell buses fuel cell buses in this region over the past years. most important thing is that it does no harm to are among the cleanest forms of public transport. Public transport tenders have included fuel cell the environment,” he says. An EU-backed project in the Dutch province of buses as an option, but that has not yet taken Syntus now plans to expand the project further Gelderland is looking into deploying them more off. This is why we decided with HyMove and by introducing four fuel cell buses in Gelderland’s widely. the province to start a pilot with the fuel cell Veluwe district in the summer of 2018. bus.” As Jan Jacob van Dijk of the province of As of the summer of 2016 a new kind of bus has Gelderland explains, “HyMove’s fuel cell system has brought together many companies been driving around Apeldoorn in Gelderland. working with hydrogen technology in and It runs on hydrogen and emits nothing but around the provincial capital of Arnhem. water. Gelderland-based fuel cell builder Should they succeed in bringing the concept HyMove, public transport company Syntus and to the market on a large scale, it will give the the province of Gelderland received €50 000 to labour market a hefty boost in the region develop the bus from the European Regional and will further reinforce our position in the Development Fund, one of whose priorities is energy and environmental sectors.” In fact, to support the transition towards a low-carbon the introduction of hydrogen technology to economy. Manufactured by Polish firm Solbus, Gelderland’s bus transport network is expected the bus is fitted with a HyMove fuel cell system to create 600 jobs in the region over 10 years. that converts hydrogen into electricity. The vehicle is 12 metres long, holds 72 passengers And the benefits don’t stop there. “The buses are fitted with electrical wheel-hub motors. The and has an operating range of 400 kilometres. only rotating parts are the four wheels. That 9 Syntus and the province of Gelderland use this means this bus is extremely energy efficient 3D PRINT CANAL HOUSE AMSTERDAM health-i-care GRONINGEN

Cross-border cooperation A printed canal house to guard against infections

Printing an entire canal house using only innovative ideas,” say DUS Architects. “80 % of The Health-i-care project brings together Dutch sides of the border. These companies are guided sustainable materials might sound like a fantasy, the printed material is based on linseed oil. You and German experts from the healthcare, science by project leader Professor Alex Friedrich of but it has become a reality in Amsterdam. This can melt down the construction elements and and business communities in order to develop the University Medical Centre at Groningen, unique project was made possible by EU funding. reuse them for new printing. The material was innovative products and technologies to protect in the Netherlands, and supported by Dutch analysed to ascertain its sustainability, stability against infections. The project has been made and German partners from the business and In 2011, DUS Architects asked themselves this and capacity to be melted and recycled.” possible through an EU funding programme healthcare sectors and scientific institutions. question: “What if we could use 3D printing aimed at cross-border regional cooperation. “This guarantees us that the innovations will for construction?” Inspired by the boom in 3D The 3D printer, called the KamerMaker - or eventually reach two business and healthcare printing technology to make relatively small ‘room maker’ in Dutch – was set up in an old Dutch and German business, science and markets, on both sides of the border,” says products, the company soon came to the container and is able to print construction healthcare experts have joined forces on the Friedrich. conclusion that it must be possible to construct elements as large as 2×2×3.5 metres in size and Health-i-care project to develop innovative buildings using 3D-printed materials. And so in shapes that were previously impossible to products and technologies protecting the Various care centres in the Dutch-German border the 3D Print Canal House project was born. create by the construction industry. All of the population against infections and combating area act as a living lab where prototypes of the 3D-printed components of the canal house antibiotic resistance. These include invisible The project was made possible through innovations are tested and improved. Doing so, have been put on display for public viewing. In gloves, game-based learning tools and a a €300 000 grant from the EU’s European Health-i-care ensures that the new products and addition the 3D printing community provides speaking digital assistant reminding healthcare Regional Development Fund as part of its technologies are in line with the requirements online answers to questions from the project staff about important hygiene requirements. of the healthcare market. This is vital given the efforts to stimulate innovation and research. team, so new knowledge is created and shared. An international team from the high-tech, Health-i-care has been made possible by a rapid developments in the area of hygiene and design, culture, construction and software €3.5 million contribution from INTERREG, an EU infection prevention in the sector. development sectors got together to develop funding programme intended to strengthen the technologies required to construct a European cohesion by supporting cross-border 3D-printed canal house. cooperation between different regions. So why a canal house? “A canal house is the The project is based solely on the wishes and symbol of Amsterdam. Constructing it using practical needs of German and Dutch users of only 3D printing allows us to demonstrate how the services it supplies, while the products and 11

© Ossip van Duivenbode © Ossip van traditional local values may be combined with technologies are developed by SMEs on both DUTCH GAME GARDEN UTRECHT VoLTE NATION WIDE Serious support for video 24/7 access to fast broadband game developers wherever you are

Video games are becoming serious business quick to imagine youngsters shooting their The EU considers that fast broadband access is made during a phone call and the network in the Netherlands. EU funding helps the way past a series of opponents. First person crucial for its citizens. This is why the European coverage is better. incubator Dutch Game Garden to support game shooter games are indeed a significant part Investment Bank provides a significan loan to The European Commission has put fast development companies by providing them with of the games market. However, games are support the expansion of 4G networks for mobile broadband accessibility for EU citizens high office space and training programmes aimed at increasingly used for purposes other than just phones and the Internet. on its agenda and considers that 4G networks the skills needeed to succeed. entertainment. There is even a name for such Making calls from mobile devices is rarely a should be easily available in the entire EU. For games: ‘serious’ or ‘applied’ games. With several hundred small businesses, the problem in the Netherlands. But occasionally this reason the European Investment Bank has Dutch video game sector is booming. Dutch Established in the Dutch Game Garden there is no network coverage or the sound quality provided a €125 million loan to help fund the Game Garden assists start-ups and established building, Active Cues developed Tovertafel, or is poor. Telecom companies are continually expansion of 4G networks in the Netherlands companies by providing office space in its ‘magic table’, a game for old people in the final working on strengthening mobile networks to and Sweden under the Tele2 VoLTE project. In business centre in Utrecht. To support its work, stages of dementia, now used by more than improve call quality and to handle the enormous 2018 coverage in the Netherlands is expected it has received €1.6 million in financing from the a thousand care homes in the Netherlands and continuous growth in the volumes of data to reach almost 100 %, giving users constant EU’s European Regional Development Fund. and abroad. “Care staff aim to get the old streamed via the mobile Internet. access to the network. Dutch Game Garden also helps young people moving,” says Christel. “Each type of The latest network currently available is 4G. entrepreneurs find their way in the business movement counts in keeping patients active. In order to access it, a smartphone must be world. “Many game developers are people Tovertafel consists of a light projector box that fitted with Voice over Long-Term Evolution with a creative background,” says operations is suspended above tables in care homes. For (VoLTE) technology. This technology is available manager Christel van Grinsven. “Business skills example, it projects well-known song lyrics on an increasing number of devices and is are rarely a part of creative programmes. So we onto the table for people to complete and thus similar to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a offer training sessions in different disciplines, generates short moments technology enabling the use of internet voice including financing and marketing. We also of happiness.” communication services such as Skype. increase the visibility of the game sector by 4G has many advantages for consumers: presenting our partners’ most interesting games the call sound quality is much clearer, calls during game events.” are connected much more quickly, internet 13 When thinking about games, people are often connections are always very fast even when URBAN FARMERS THE HAGUE REFUGEE LAUNCH PAD UTRECHT

Vegetables and fish farmed at a great height Integrating refugees from day one © Martijn Zegwaard A sustainable method of growing vegetables and into fertiliser for the crops, so we don’t need With support from the European Social Fund, the prospects for all European citizens. farming fish is being put into practice on the roof anything extra,” says Driest. “Plants filter Utrecht district of Overvecht has initiated a social Although Ghazi, from Syria, no longer lives at of an old office building in The Hague, where one the water that we use to farm the fish. This project which is unique in the Netherlands. Asylum Plan Einstein, each Sunday he still visits the of Europe’s largest commercial urban farms is working method allows us to make optimal seekers and young Dutch people live together, group of asylum seekers and local people with located. It has received support from EU funding. use of the power of nature. And it’s a success. attend courses and organise activities for the whom he spent time together. He explains that The use of aquaponics saves up to 90 % on neighbourhood. UrbanFarmers grows vegetables and farms they were all really proud when they received fish on the roof of an old office building in The water consumption versus other production Asylum seekers and young local people live their business English certificates, adding: “I’ve Hague. “Instead of having farmers in faraway methods.” together at the Plan Einstein housing complex also learned that, working together with others, countries growing your vegetables and flying According to Driest, city farms are the answer in Utrecht’s Overvecht district. They attend you can move mountains provided you are in frozen fish from abroad, it seems much more to meeting food demand in an increasingly courses on subjects such as business English, open to the available opportunities. My father logical, healthy, fresh and sustainable to grow urbanised world. “We believe in a future where bookkeeping and writing business plans, and taught me to always trust other people because that is the only way to open new doors for our own food where people live, in cities,” 20 % of our food is produced in our own cities ” , they organise activities that directly involve yourself.” says the company’s Paul Driest. “We want to he concludes. people in the neighbourhood. The project is encourage people to learn more about what known as the Refugee Launch Pad and does Ghazi says that he met a lot of people in they eat and to make food production a part of exactly what its name suggests. It launches Overvecht with huge problems. “They were daily life once more.” refugees into society. unemployed, had debts and felt extremely The European Regional Development Fund – “The Refugee Launch Pad is an inclusive lonely. I believe that these people and the which focuses on the labour market and method, intended to facilitate integration newcomers, refugees like myself, can really learn SMEs – provided €1.7 million to support the from day one,” says Utrecht deputy mayor Kees to understand each other.” And that is good farm, one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Diepeveen. “The residents develop skills that news as mutual understanding is an important It comprises 1 500 m2 of greenhouses and a empower them to become self-sufficient.” first step for anyone to integrate successfully. 400 m2 fish farm. The Refugee Launch Pad is backed by the UrbanFarmers produces food using aquaponics, European Social Fund, one of the EU’s main an ancient and sustainable production method. instruments to support job creation, to help 15 “The waste products from the fish are converted people find work and to improve employment NA-04-17-790-EN-C NA-04-17-790-EN-N 10.2775/838104 10.2775/707886NA-04-17-790-EN-C NA-04-17-790-EN-N doi: doi:

978-92-79-72365-0 978-92-79-72368-1

PDF ISBN Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018 Office European of the Publications Luxembourg: Union, 2018 © European is acknowledged. the source Reuse is authorised provided 39). L 330, 14.12.2011, p. Decision 2011/833/EU (OJ by is regulated documents policy Commission reuse The of European holders. the copyright permission directly from must be sought is not under the EU copyright, that or other material of photos use or reproduction any For ISBN Print Printed by the Publications Office in Luxembourg Find a Europe Direct centre near you for information: for near you Direct centre a Europe Find europa.eu/european-union/contact_en Tel. +31 (0) 70 313 53 00 Tel. E-mail: [email protected] Internet: ec.europa.eu/netherlands Representation of the European Commission in the Netherlands: Commission the European of Representation Korte Vijverberg 5-6 Hague The 2513 AB NETHERLANDS General information about the Investment Plan for Europe: Europe: Plan for about Investment the information General ec.europa.eu/invest-eu WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION: MORE FIND TO WHERE