In his latest column for De Ondernemer, Jildert dissects the current business climate. He poses a painful question: why are hundreds of millions being thrown at polluting industries under the guise of 'employment,' while the real job engine of the Netherlands, the SME sector, is handed the bill through higher corporate taxes and complex legislation?
The "Back of the Envelope" Calculation
Jildert demonstrates that the focus in The Hague has become completely skewed. We worry about the departure of multinational headquarters, yet in the process, we are losing our grip on the entrepreneurs who are actually rooted in their local communities. The column exposes how:
- The subsidy floodgates are wide open for the top tier but remain slammed shut for innovative small business owners.
- The tax burden rests disproportionately on the shoulders of SMEs.
- A 'Minister for SMEs' is more necessary than ever to push back against the aggressive lobbying power of large corporations.
Jildert advocates for a radical change in course: stop pampering multinationals that threaten to leave at the slightest sign of resistance, and start investing in the entrepreneurs who stay, grow, and truly keep the economy running.
Read the full column on De Ondernemer
