Green Light for 16 New Regional Deals

All 16 Regional Deals can basically get started now that the 16 agreements have been definitively established. Minister Keijzer of Housing and Spatial Planning writes this to the House of Representatives. The Regional Deals were selected in February, after which the plans were further developed together with other ministries. The regions receive a total government contribution of 244.3 million euros in this sixth and final tranche of Regional Deals. In addition, the regions contribute at least the same amount.

Together with the regions, the national government and regions are building community spirit, livelihood security, and livability.

Minister Keijzer: “With these 16 new Regional Deals, we continue to build strong, powerful regions so that all people in the Netherlands, regardless of the region where they live, have equal opportunities and can live well. The cooperation between the national government and regions is vital, with regional challenges as the starting point – because every region is unique and deserves a tailored approach.”

Stimulus for the region

Some of the 16 Regional Deals now receive a second (II) or even third (III) continuation. For these areas and their inhabitants, this again means a strong stimulus for a future-proof region. The 16 Regional Deals are: Barendrecht-Ridderkerk-Rotterdam, Bonaire, Eemsdelta, Northeast Friesland II, North Drenthe, Foodvalley II, Northeast Brabant II, Parkstad Limburg III, Rivierenland II, Horticulture Region, Vital Neighborhoods II, Values of the Green Heart, Waterland, South Holland Growth Centers, Zeelandic Flanders/ Zeeland, and South Limburg II.

Specifically, the sixth tranche of Regional Deals involves realizing new multifunctional rural areas where nature, agriculture, and recreation come together; places to work, learn, and enjoy (Foodvalley); bundling schools, sports, and care under one roof (Zeelandic Flanders/ Zeeland); solutions for increasing care pressure due to double aging and youth departure (Waterland and North Drenthe); and improving water availability, quality, and safety in Rivierenland.

Long-term programs

This sixth and final tranche with 16 new Regional Deals again provides residents and businesses with a stimulus for better quality of life, living, and working. In the coming years, the Regional Deals from this sixth and earlier tranches will still be in full implementation. Regions and the national government continue intensive discussions to connect the deals to long-term area-oriented programs, such as the NOVEX approach, the National Program for Livability and Safety, and the National Program for Vital Regions, or to their own regional agendas.

Additionally, in 2026 a study will start on the lessons and success factors from six tranches of Regional Deals that can also be valuable in the future. Since 2018, the national government has invested a total of 1.8 billion euros and over 80 Regional Deals together with the regions in building a society where people feel at home and are ready for the future.