Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION delivering a Council opinion on the 2021 Stability Programme of the Netherlands
Date: 2021-06-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: Netherlands, economic recovery, economic reform, investment, organisation of health care, public finance, social security, stability pact, stability programme, structural adjustment

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 2.6.2021  COM(2021) 519 final  Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION delivering a Council opinion on the 2021 Stability Programme of the Netherlands {SWD(2021) 501 final}  
 
Recommendation for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

delivering a Council opinion on the 2021 Stability Programme of the Netherlands 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, 

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of 7 July 1997 on the strengthening of 
the  surveillance  of  budgetary  positions  and  the  surveillance  and  coordination  of  economic 
policies1, and in particular Article 5(2) thereof, 

Having regard to the Recommendation of the European Commission, 

Having regard to the resolutions of the European Parliament, 

After consulting the Economic and Financial Committee, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

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On  20  March  2020,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Communication  on  the  activation  of 
the  general  escape  clause2  of  the  Stability  and  Growth  Pact.3  In  its  Communication, 
the  Commission  set  out its  view  that,  given  the expected  severe  economic  downturn 
resulting from  the COVID-19 outbreak, the  conditions  to  activate the general  escape 
clause were met. On 23 March 2020, the Ministers of Finance of the Member States 
agreed with the assessment of the Commission. The general escape clause has granted 
Member  States  budgetary  flexibility  to  deal  with  the  crisis.  It  has  facilitated  the 
coordination  of  budgetary  policies  in  times  of  severe  economic  downturn.  Its 
activation  allows  for  a  temporary  departure  from  the  adjustment  path  towards  the 
medium-term  budgetary  objective  of  each  Member  State,  provided  this  does  not 
endanger  fiscal  sustainability  in  the  medium  term.  On  17  September  2020,  in  its 
Annual  Sustainable  Growth  Strategy,  the  Commission  announced  that  the  general 
escape clause would remain active in 2021.4  
On  20  July  2020,  the  Council  recommended  the  Netherlands5  to  take  all  necessary 
measures, in line with the general escape clause, to effectively address the pandemic, 
sustain  the  economy  and  support  the  ensuing  recovery.  It  also  recommended  The 

OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 1. 
The  clause,  as  set  out  in  Articles  5(1),  6(3),  9(1)  and  10(3)  of  Regulation  (EC)  1466/97  and  Articles 
3(5) and 5(2) of Regulation (EC) 1467/97, facilitates the coordination of budgetary policies in times of 
severe economic downturn. 
Communication from the Commission to the Council on the activation of the general escape clause of   
the Stability and Growth Pact, Brussels, 20.3.2020, COM(2020) 123 final. 
Communication  from  the  Commission  on  Annual  Sustainable  Growth  Strategy  2021,  Brussels, 
17.9.2020, COM(2020) 575 final. 
Council Recommendation of 20 July 2020 on the National Reform Programme of  the Netherlands and 
delivering a Council opinion on the 2020 Stability Programme of the Netherlands, OJ C 282, 26.8.2020, 
p. 122. 

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(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

Netherlands  to  pursue,  when  economic  conditions  allow,  fiscal  policies  aimed  at 
achieving prudent medium-term fiscal positions and ensuring debt sustainability, while 
enhancing investment. 

The Council Recommendation on the economic policy of the euro indicates that fiscal 
policies  remain  supportive  in  all  euro  area  Member  States  throughout  2021  and  that 
policy  measures  should  be  tailored  to  country-specific  circumstances  and  be  timely, 
temporary  and  targeted6.  When  the  epidemiological  and  economic  conditions  allow, 
emergency  measures  should  be  phased  out,  while  combatting  the  social  and  labour-
market  impact  of  the  crisis.  Fiscal  policies  should  be  pursued  that  are  aimed  at 
achieving prudent medium-term fiscal positions and ensuring debt sustainability, while 
enhancing  investment.  Member  States  should  pursue  reforms  that  strengthen  the 
coverage, adequacy, and sustainability of health and social protection systems for all. 

On  18  November  2020,  the  Commission  adopted  its  Opinions  on  the  2021  Draft 
Budgetary  Plans  of  the  euro  area  Member  States,  which  were  based  on  a  qualitative 
assessment of the fiscal measures. The Commission was of the opinion that the Draft 
Budgetary  Plan  of  the  Netherlands  was  overall  in  line  with  the  fiscal  policy 
recommendations  adopted  by  the  Council  on  20  July  2020,  and  that  most  of  the 
measures included in the plans supported economic activity against the background of 
considerable uncertainty. However, some measures did not appear to be temporary or 
matched by offsetting measures. 

Next  Generation  EU,  including  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility,  will  ensure  a 
sustainable,  inclusive  and  fair  recovery.  Regulation  (EU)  2021/241  establishing  the 
Recovery and Resilience Facility7 came into force on 19 February 2021. This Facility 
will  provide  financial  support  for  the  implementation  of  reforms  and  investment, 
entailing  a  fiscal  impulse  financed  by  the  EU.  It  will  contribute  to  the  economic 
recovery,  to  the  implementation  of  sustainable  and  growth-enhancing  reforms  and 
investment, notably to promote the green and digital transitions, and it will strengthen 
the  economies’  resilience  and  potential  growth.  In  turn,  it  will  also  help  public 
finances to return to more favourable positions in the near term and will contribute to 
strengthening sustainable public finances, growth and job creation in the medium and 
long term. 

On 3 March 2021, the Commission adopted a Communication providing further policy 
orientations  to  facilitate  the  coordination  of  fiscal  policies  and  the  preparation  of 
Member  States’  Stability  and  Convergence  Programmes.8  The  overall  fiscal  stance, 
taking into account national budgets and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, should 
remain  supportive  in  2021  and  2022.  At  the  same  time,  given  the  expectation  of 
economic activity  gradually normalising in the second half of 2021, Member States’ 
fiscal  policies  should  become  more  differentiated  in  2022.  Member  States’  fiscal 
policies should take into account the state of the recovery, fiscal sustainability and the 
need  to  reduce  economic,  social  and  territorial  divergences.  In  view  of  the  need  to 
support a sustainable recovery for the EU, Member States with low sustainability risks 
should  gear  their  budgets  towards  maintaining  a  supportive  fiscal  policy  in  2022, 
taking into account the impact of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Member States 

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Pending final adoption by the Council, after endorsement by the European Council. The text agreed by 
the Eurogroup on 16 December 2020 is available at: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-
14356-2020-INIT/en/pdf 
OJ L57, 18.2.2021, p.17. 
Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  Council  on  one  year  since  the  outbreak  of  COVID-19: 
fiscal policy response, Brussels, 3.3.2021, COM(2021) 105 final. 

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(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

with  high  debt  levels  should  pursue  prudent  fiscal  policies,  while  preserving 
nationally-financed  investment  and  making  use  of  grants  under  the  Recovery  and 
Resilience  Facility  to  fund  additional  high-quality  investment  projects  and  structural 
reforms.  For  the  period  beyond  2022,  fiscal  policies  should  continue  to  take  into 
account  the  strength  of  the  recovery,  the  degree  of  economic  uncertainty  and  fiscal 
sustainability considerations. A refocusing of fiscal policies towards achieving prudent 
medium-term  fiscal  positions,  including  by  phasing  out  support  measures  in  due 
course, will contribute to ensuring fiscal sustainability in the medium term.  

The Communication of 3 March 2021 also announced the Commission’s view that the 
decision  on  the  deactivation  or  continued  application  of  the  general  escape  clause 
should be taken as an overall assessment of the state of the economy, with the level of 
economic activity in the EU or euro area compared to pre-crisis levels (end-2019) as 
key quantitative criterion. On the basis of the Commission’s 2021 spring forecast, on 2 
June the Commission considered that the conditions to continue to apply the general 
escape  clause  in  2022  and  to  deactivate  it  as  of  2023  were  met.  Country-specific 
situations will continue to be taken into account  after the deactivation of  the general 
escape clause.9 

On  30  April  2021,  the  Netherlands  submitted  its  2021  Stability  Programme,  in  line 
with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1466/97.  

In  2020,  based  on  data  validated  by  Eurostat  the  Netherlands’  general  government 
deficit was 4.3% of GDP, while general government debt increased to 54.5% of GDP. 
The  annual  change  in  the  primary  budget  balance  amounted  to  6.0%  of  GDP, 
including discretionary budgetary measures of 3.0% in support of the economy and the 
operation of automatic stabilisers. The Netherlands also provided liquidity support to 
companies and households (such as guarantees and tax deferrals, which do not have a 
direct and immediate budgetary impact) estimated at 5.3% of GDP.    

 On  2  June  2021,  the  Commission  issued  a  report  under  Article  126(3)  TFEU.  This 
report discusses the budgetary situation of the Netherlands, as its general government 
deficit in 2020 exceeded the 3% of GDP Treaty reference value. The report concluded 
that the deficit criterion was not fulfilled.  

(10)  The macroeconomic scenario underpinning the budgetary projections of the authorities 
is realistic in 2021 and 2022 and in line with the Commission’s 2021 spring forecast. 
The  Commission’s  forecast  shows  a  stronger  growth  in  private  consumption  both  in 
2021  and  2022  (0.5  percentage  points  stronger  in  2021  and  0.4  percentage  points  in 
2022) and a stronger growth in gross fixed capital formation in 2022 (0.3 percentage 
points  stronger).  This  is  offset  by  a  stronger  growth  in  imports  in  the  Commission’s 
forecast,  leading  to  positive  net  imports,  while  the  Stability  Programme  projects 
negative net imports.  

(11) 

In  its  2021  Stability  Programme,  the  government  plans  an  increase  in  the  general 
government  deficit  from  4.3%  of  GDP  in  2020  to  5.9%  of  GDP  in  2021,  while  the 
debt  ratio  is  planned  to  increase  to  58.6%  of  GDP  in  2021.  According  to  the 
programme, the change in the primary budget balance in 2021 compared with the pre-
crisis  level  (2019)  is  set  to  amount  to  8.2%  of  GDP,  reflecting  the  discretionary 
budgetary measures of 1.9% of GDP in support of the economy and the operation of 
automatic stabilisers. In its 2021 spring forecast, the Commission forecasts an increase 

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Communication from the Commission on Economic policy coordination in 2021: overcoming COVID-
19, supporting the recovery and modernising our economy, Brussels, 2.6.2021, COM(2021)500 final. 

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(12) 

of  the  general  government  deficit  to  5.0%  of  GDP  in  2021,  while  the  debt  ratio  is 
planned to increase to 57.9% of GDP in 2021. The Commission’s forecast is based on 
outturn  data  showing  more  robust  revenues  in  2020,  which  are  expected  to  remain 
similar in 2021. The smaller estimated deficit leads to smaller debt levels.  

In  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  related  economic  downturn,  the 
Netherlands  has  adopted  budgetary  measures  to  strengthen  the  capacity  of  its  health 
system, contain the pandemic and provide relief to those individuals and sectors that 
have  been  particularly  affected.  This  forceful  policy  response  has  cushioned  the 
contraction  in  GDP,  which,  in  turn,  curtailed  the  increase  in  government  deficit  and 
public  debt.  Fiscal  measures  should  maximise  support  to  the  recovery  without  pre-
empting  future  fiscal  trajectories.  Therefore,  measures  should  avoid  creating  a 
permanent  burden  on  public  finances.  When  Member  States  introduce  permanent 
measures,  they  should  properly  fund  them  to  ensure  budgetary  neutrality  in  the 
medium term. The measures taken by the Netherlands in 2020 and 2021 have been in 
line  with  the  Council  Recommendation  of  20  July  2020.  Some  of  the  discretionary 
measures adopted by the government in 2020 and 2021 do not appear to be temporary 
or matched by offsetting measures. Beyond the horizon of the Commission’s forecast, 
in  2023,  the  remaining  impact  of  those  non-temporary  measures  is  preliminarily 
estimated at around 1% of GDP, all of them capital transfers, mostly from the National 
Growth Investment Fund. 

(13)  The  2021  Stability  Programme  does  not  include  yet  receipts  of  grants  under  the 
Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility.  The  Commission’s  forecast  assumed  a  simplified 
and  linear  integration  of  RRF-financed  expenditure,  in  the  absence  of  sufficiently 
detailed information about the national RRP. 

(14)  The established indicators of fiscal adjustment set out in Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 
need  to  be  considered  in  the  context  of  the  current  circumstances.  First,  there  is 
significant  uncertainty  surrounding  output  gap  estimates.  Second,  there  is  a  need  for 
fiscal policy to stand ready to rapidly adapt to the evolution of the pandemic, shifting 
from  emergency  relief  to  more  targeted  measures  once  health  risks  diminish.  Third, 
the  current  context  is  characterised  by  a  significant  policy  response  to  support 
economic activity. In the presence of sizeable transfers from the EU budget  (such as 
those  from  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility),  the  established  indicators  do  not 
capture  the  full  impulse  provided  by  fiscal  policies  to  the  economy.  Against  this 
background,  the  structural  balance  does  not  appear  adequate  in  the  current 
circumstances.  The  expenditure  benchmark,  in  turn,  needs  to  be  adapted10  and 
complemented  with  additional  information  in  order  to  fully  gauge  the  fiscal  policy 
orientation.  

Firstly,  and  similarly  to  the  approach  pursed  in  the  assessment  of  the  2021  Draft 
Budgetary  Plans,  temporary  emergency  measures  have  been  excluded  from  the 
expenditure  aggregate.  These  crisis-related  temporary  emergency  measures  support 
health  systems  and  compensate  workers  and  firms  for  the  losses  in  income  due  to 
lockdowns  and  supply  chain  disruptions;  their  reversal  by  the  public  authorities  is 
contingent on the return of the public health and economic situation to normality.  

Second, to assess the overall fiscal stance at the current juncture, the sizeable transfers 
from the EU budget (such as those from the Recovery and Resilience Facility) should 
be included in the relevant expenditure aggregate. Therefore, the fiscal stance is then 

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In  particular,  the  4-year  smoothing  of  investment  used  in  the  expenditure  benchmark  does  not  allow 
assessing properly the fiscal support to the recovery provided by nationally financed investments. 

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measured by the change in primary expenditure (net of discretionary revenue measures 
and  excluding  crisis-related  temporary  emergency  measures)  including  expenditure 
financed by grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other EU funds.  

Going  beyond  the  overall  fiscal  stance,  the  analysis  also  aims  at  assessing  whether 
national  fiscal  policy  is  prudent  and  its  composition  is  conducive  to  a  sustainable 
recovery  consistent  with  the  green  and  digital  transitions.  For  that  reason,  particular 
attention  is  paid  to  the  evolution  of  nationally  financed  primary  current  expenditure 
and investment.  

(15) 

In  its  2021  Stability  Programme,  the  Netherlands’  general  government  deficit  is 
planned  to  decrease  to  1.8%  of  GDP  in  2022,  mainly  due  to  the  economic  recovery 
and  a  discontinuation  of  the  temporary  support  measures  adopted  in  2020  and  2021. 
The general  government debt ratio is planned to decrease to 56.9% of GDP in 2022. 
These projections are in line with the Commission’s 2021 spring forecast.  

Based on the Commission’s forecast, the overall fiscal stance as defined above – also 
including the impact on aggregate demand in 2022 from investment financed by both 
the  national  and  the  EU  budgets,  notably  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  –  is 
estimated  at -0.4%  of  GDP11.  The  positive  contribution  of  expenditure  financed  by 
Recovery and Resilience Facility grants and other EU funds is projected to increase by 
0.1 percentage points of GDP. Nationally financed investment is projected to provide 
a contractionary contribution of 0.2 percentage points of GDP.12 Nationally financed 
primary  current  expenditure  (net  of  discretionary  revenue  measures)  is  projected  to 
provide an expansionary contribution of 0.2 percentage points of GDP. 

(16)  The  quality  of  Member  States’  budgetary  measures  appear  particularly  important. 
Fiscal structural reforms aimed at improving the composition of national budgets can 
support  potential  growth,  create  much-needed  fiscal  space  and  help  ensuring  fiscal 
sustainability  over  the  longer  term,  including  in  view  of  climate  change  and  health 
challenges. On the revenue side, the COVID-19 crisis has reinforced the importance of 
reforms for more efficient and fairer public revenue systems. On the expenditure side, 
it  has  made  even  more  crucial  to  increase  the  level  and  quality  of  sustainable  and 
growth-enhancing  investments,  consistent  with  serving  the  objectives  of  enhancing 
growth  potential,  economic  and  social  resilience  and  the  green  and  digital  twin 
transition. The Recovery and Resilience Plans will allow to improve the composition 
of national budgets. 

(17)  According to the programme’s medium-term budgetary plans, the general government 
deficit  is  planned  to  decrease  from  1.4%  in  2023,  to  1.1%  of  GDP  in  2024.  The 
general government deficit is planned to return below 3% of GDP in 2022.  

The programme does not include the information required to estimate the overall fiscal 
stance in 2023 and 2024.  
The  current  estimate  of  the  10-year  average  nominal  potential  growth  is  3%13. 
However, this estimate does not include the impact of the reforms that are part of the 
Recovery and Resilience Plan and can boost the Netherland’s potential growth. 

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A negative sign of the indicator corresponds to an excess of the primary expenditure growth compared 
with medium-term economic growth, which indicates an expansionary fiscal policy. 
Other  nationally  financed  capital  expenditure  is  projected  to  provide  an  expansionary  contribution  of 
0.3 percentage points of GDP. 
Estimated by the Commission, following the commonly agreed methodology.  

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(18)  The general government debt ratio is planned to decrease from 56.0% of GDP in 2023 
to  55.3%  of  GDP  in  2024.  The  Netherlands  is  considered  to  face  low  fiscal 
sustainability  risks  over  the  medium  term,  as  per  the  latest  debt  sustainability 
analysis.14  

(19) 

In view of the currently still exceptionally high degree of uncertainty, the fiscal policy 
guidance should remain  predominantly  qualitative. More precise quantified  guidance 
for  the  later  years  should  be  provided  in  2022,  if  the  degree  of  uncertainty  has 
sufficiently declined by then.  

The  Council  has  assessed  the  2021  Stability  Programme  and  the  follow-up  by  the 
Netherlands to the Council Recommendation of 20 July 2020.  

HEREBY RECOMMENDS THE NETHERLANDS TO:  

1. 

2. 

3. 

In  2022,  pursue  a  supportive  fiscal stance,  including  the  impulse  provided  by  the 
Recovery and Resilience Facility, and preserve nationally financed investment.  

When economic conditions allow, pursue a fiscal policy aimed at achieving prudent 
medium-term fiscal positions and ensuring fiscal sustainability in the medium term. 
At the same time, enhance investment to boost growth potential.  

Pay  particular  attention  to  the  composition  of  public  finances,  both  on  the  revenue 
and  expenditure  sides  of  the  budget,  and  to  the  quality  of  budgetary  measures,  to 
ensure  a  sustainable  and  inclusive  recovery.  Prioritise  sustainable  and  growth-
enhancing  investment,  notably  supporting  the  green  and  digital  transition.  Give 
priority to fiscal structural reforms that will help provide financing for public policy 
priorities and contribute to the long-term sustainability of public finances, including 
by  strengthening  the  coverage,  adequacy,  and  sustainability  of  health  and  social 
protection systems for all. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

14 

See Commission Staff Working Document – Statistical Annex providing background data relevant for 
the assessment of the 2021 Stability and Convergence Programmes. 

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