The cabinet is virtually in agreement about the climate plans for the coming years, sources report to NOS. This means that they can be presented today, at the same time as the Spring Memorandum. The policy intentions will first be discussed in the Council of Ministers. What the plans entail will be announced later.
Prime Minister Rutte and Deputy Prime Ministers Kaag (D66), Hoekstra (CDA) and Schouten (ChristenUnie) held consultations until after midnight, especially about the plans to achieve the climate goals for 2030. Minister Jetten and State Secretary Van Rij were also present.
The financing of the climate plans is partly part of the Spring Memorandum, about which the top of the cabinet has met repeatedly in recent weeks. Decisions had to be made about adjustments to the current budget in order to finance the higher costs for, among other things, the reception of asylum seekers and compensation for gas extraction in Groningen.
It is not yet clear how exactly that will be paid, but the sources do say that the deductible for healthcare costs will not increase. In recent weeks, Finance Minister Kaag visited all ministries to ask what points could be cut.
Mobility
In the discussions about the climate plans, the theme of mobility was a particularly thorny issue, because the VVD had different views on this than the coalition partners. Now a compromise has been found, which Rutte’s party agrees to. Details about this are not yet known.
In the other sectors that play a role in the climate goals, the parties were considerably quicker. This concerns industry, agriculture and the built environment.
The protagonists showed relief last night. “We’ve come a long way,” Rutte said after the meeting. Hoekstra used similar words. “We’re almost done, but we still need tomorrow.”
Expenditure ceiling
According to the budget rules, the cabinet must set an expenditure ceiling for each cabinet year at the start of the government’s term of office. This may not be exceeded and if it does happen, the government must compensate the extra expenditure with cutbacks or tax increases in the same policy area. This is done in the Spring Memorandum. It must be presented to parliament before 1 June.
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