INTERNATIONAL | Netherlands and Germany launch cooperation

Both the Netherlands and Germany have set the course to modernise their mobility sector and make it sustainable. Both countries want to advance developments in the field of sustainable mobility in the near future.
The official kick-off of the cooperation between Germany and the Netherlands took place at the end of March during a virtual launch event. In the presence of Wepke Kingma, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Germany, and Johannes Wieczorek, Head of Sub-Department G2 Climate Protection in Mobility, Environmental Protection at the BMVI, Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann, Chairman of the NPM, and Marc Hendrikse, Chairman of the Top Sector High Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM) of the Netherlands the Dutch-German cooperation in the field of sustainable mobility officially launched. Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann, Chairman of the NPM said: “We need holistic solutions that take into account all modes of transport with their specific requirements and at the same time pave the way for a climate-friendly, networked, demand-oriented transport system, networked, demand-oriented and affordable transport system. The development of an intelligent charging infrastructure for e-vehicles and cross-border heavy goods are topics that are of acute concern to both the Netherlands and Germany and which we and which we can explore together in greater depth.”
“Joining forces and moving forward”
Wepke Kingma, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Germany says: “Although we follow a different roadmap in implementing zero-emission mobility, our goals are the same: a green, smart and affordable mobility shift towards more sustainability. We need to join forces and move forward!” Marc Hendrikse, Chairman of Top Sector HTSM: “Both Germany and the Netherlands face a major task in adapting their mobility to the agreed European goals. By combining the strengths of both countries, we can meet this challenge. Today we are expanding the cooperation between our two countries in the field of technology and innovation, which already started ten years ago and recently got a new impetus with the Dutch-German Innovation Pact.”
Ministries support the cooperation
The plan is for cluster organisations and associations, national and regional initiatives as well as companies and research institutions from both countries to identify relevant issues and provide joint answers. On the Dutch side, the cooperation is initiated and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, and Infrastructure and Environment, together with clusters and companies in the Dutch mobility sector. One of these companies is RAI Automotive Industry NL. On the German side, the Ministry for Mobility and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) and the National Platform Future of Mobility (NPM) are flanking the event. Steffen Bilger, Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) says of the cooperation between the two states: “Only together can we succeed in making mobility climate-friendly. That is why it is so important to always keep the European dimension in mind and to promote cross-border projects. We particularly welcome and support the new cooperation in the field of sustainable mobility between the Netherlands and Germany.” Around 230 representatives of German and Dutch companies and organisations followed the two keynote speeches by Nancy Kabalt-Groot, Chairwoman of the of the Formula E-Team of the Netherlands and Franz Loogen, President of e-mobil BW and Chairman of WG 1 Climate Protection in Transport of the NPM.