The Policy Lab for the Netherlands, organised by the European Urban Knowledge Network (EUKN) and the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (MinBZK), provided a forum to discuss different approaches to cooperative governance for the green, blue and digital transition.

In the Netherlands, all government levels (provinces, municipalities, waterboards and ministries) have been working together to list a number of shared key priorities with a clear European dimension. The goal is to present a joint narrative in the run-up to and during the new Commission mandate.

This multi-level cooperation has, among others, resulted in the preparation of a joint ‘multi-level agenda on EU priorities 2024-2029’ (Interbestuurlijke agenda EU-prioriteiten 2024-2029). It aims at further aligning the different levels of government on the key priorities for realising the green, digital and blue transition.

The event featured presentations of Dutch representatives from different levels on the ‘Dutch approach’ and, equally important, provided a podium for other Member State and Local & Regional Authorities (LRAs) representatives to present the way in which they approach shared public governance on the EU level.