Cabinet inspection and Van der Wal's personas

Not all of them are accomplished technocrats, but the question is whether that is a bad thing. What is more important is that they are honest, effective and credible.
Seen from that perspective, it is good that they do not follow the example of the outgoing Minister for Nature and Nitrogen.

On autopilot
During her last debate in the House of Representatives, she was almost completely on autopilot and did not understand, or did not want to understand, what is crystal clear to a large parliamentary majority. The nitrogen policy of the outgoing cabinet with regard to Schiphol and that with regard to agriculture is a policy that applies double standards, as SGP member André Flach put it. Even the left in the House did not deny this.

Other position minister
Van der Wal hid behind the contrived argument that she acted towards Schiphol as if from a different position and had no further opinion. She had no substantive response to Rosanne Hertzberger's (NSC) substantiated argument about a credible lower limit for nitrogen deposition and repeated quotes from previously expressed official texts. Unfortunately, the House left it at this state of affairs. Hertzberger could also have submitted an amendment to have the lower limit changed by the House, but perhaps she did not want to get in the way of the new cabinet.

Evaluation light on external netting
Probably the very last product, the minister also sent this week an evaluation about external netting to the House: about how it had worked and what it had yielded. Unfortunately, it is an evaluation from a bread-and-butter report factory, in which all the hot pieces are neatly avoided. It is also a pity that the piece often referred to non-public notes and studies. It doesn't improve credibility.

Leasing for concerts only
Yet the evaluation contains an intriguing passage about the leasing of nitrogen space. It is a permitted construction, except in North Holland, which is often used for pop concerts, for example, but also by water boards and local authorities to install a lock or renovate a road. The minister and her officials are familiar with this method, which is often used in temporary situations. Why did they never propose to also help PAS detectors, for example to modernize a stable or barn? Agricultural companies asked for it, but in practice they were never allowed to do anything with it. It would therefore be a good thing if Van der Wal, in her role as competent authority, never said anything again about her compassion for PAS reporters.

'Act like Piet Adema'
Outgoing Agriculture Minister Piet Adema was also allowed to be seen off in the House of Representatives and used that opportunity to pat himself on the back and encourage his successor. Adema: "We have achieved quite a lot of things in Europe. The best example is RENURE, but I have also been working on bringing attention to goal management. What exactly does goal management mean? That needs to be brought to attention." And towards the new cabinet: "Europe is not just about getting. It is also about bringing. The two must be in balance. (...) Is that the message: this must all be arranged for the Netherlands, otherwise we will have a problem? Well, I don't think you achieve much." In short, it came down to: do as I do! The new government is now wearing a different perspective and probably concludes: we have already achieved so much!

NPLG 'the great reset'
Adema's predecessor Staghouwer fought tooth and nail against the fact that the European Commission also gained control over the development of the countryside through the derogation file (NPLG). Adema changed tack shortly after taking office, and this was widely celebrated in Brussels. In a piece made public last week, Frans Timmermans adjutant Diederik Samsom described this in the presence of the top officials of LNV as 'the great reset'. Samsom was more lenient towards non-agriculture. Because while this sector had to be severely punished for all emissions, other sectors, including aviation, could take it more slowly: "You don't have to realize all the reduction 'on the ground'," EZ officials signed from his shut up.

Up to 45% fraud
It is clear that Dutch agriculture is not in good shape with the European Commission. During a recent visit by a Dutch delegation, an EU official knew that up to 45% of fraud occurs in Dutch manure disposal. It is special, because anyone who asks the Commission, like the author of this piece, for reports and figures on fraud, hears that you have to go to the Member States for data. Not everything is going well in the Netherlands, but such figures are not known here in the Netherlands itself. Perhaps the new government should first look at what figures for the Netherlands are available in Brussels and adjust them where necessary.

New government, new commission
It may also help if there is a new European Commission in Brussels, with a somewhat different agenda than the old Commission. Environment Commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius is reportedly not returning. He would become a MEP for the Greens. It was previously known that Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski would not return. New Eurocommissioners often also bring new staff, as is known, for example, from Frans Timmermans.