Strengthened Flemish-Dutch cooperation unlocks new opportunities for the chemical sector
In an increasingly volatile geopolitical context, Europe requires a robust scientific and technological foundation to safeguard and strengthen its prosperity and competitiveness. Recognizing this, Flanders and the Netherlands have reaffirmed their commitment to join forces.
Recently, Flemish Minister-President Diependaele and the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Dirk Beljaarts (represented by/alongside Minister Herbert), met in Eindhoven. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 20th anniversary of the Holst Centre at the Evoluon. The Holst Centre itself—a collaborative venture between the Flemish imec and the Dutch TNO focusing on wireless sensor technology and flexible electronics—serves as a prime example of what cross-border synergy can achieve.
During this summit, the ministers formally endorsed the strategic importance of continued HighTech cooperation between the two regions to boost joint research, innovation capacity, and European competitiveness.
The HighTech agenda
A major milestone of the meeting was the official adoption of the renewed Flemish-Dutch HighTech cooperation agenda. This updated roadmap focuses on seven priority themes (in alphabetical order): Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Energy Innovation, Photonics, Quantum, Semicon, and Hydrogen, alongside Defense as a potential cross-cutting theme.
For the Catalisti network, this thematic focus is highly relevant. Priority areas such as Biotechnology, Energy Innovation, Hydrogen, and Artificial Intelligence directly intersect with the innovation goals of the chemical and plastics sectors.
The ministers formally mandated policymakers and stakeholders in both regions to execute this renewed agenda. This strongly reinforces the ongoing strategy of driving cross-pollination between mission-driven innovation policy in the Netherlands and the strategic domains of the Flemish Spearhead Clusters. By explicitly supporting these clusters, policymakers aim to link Flemish expertise directly with Dutch innovation initiatives and major funding vehicles like the National Growth Fund (Nationaal Groeifonds).
The Trilateral Chemical Region
This renewed high-tech push builds upon a highly successful, established foundation. Since the 2023 bilateral summit, which laid the groundwork for the Trilateral Chemical Region, (Sustainable) Chemistry and the Biobased Economy have been central to this cross-border alliance. The ongoing political commitment to the Trilateral Chemical Strategy underscores the enduring support for accelerating the sustainability and circularity of our chemical sector across borders.
Opportunities
Executing this newly mandated HighTech agenda will require active collaboration and targeted funding. In addition to the priority allocation of funds from the Interreg Flanders-Netherlands program for cross-border projects, both governments are actively exploring synergies at the European level, including Horizon Europe and various recovery measures.
The explicit mandate to execute the renewed HighTech agenda, combined with the established framework of the Trilateral Chemical Region, demonstrates that the cross-border innovation landscape is richer than ever. For Catalisti's partners, this renewed political commitment provides a framework to pioneer new projects with Dutch partners in the areas of sustainable chemistry, the circular economy, and the energy transition.