Dutch government warns of multi-billion euro shortfall in infrastructure funding
The Dutch government has warned that far more long-term funding is needed for major infrastructure projects, citing recent years’ reliance on short-term, ad hoc funding for individual projects rather than predictable, sustained budgets.
In a letter to the Tweede Kamer, caretaker ministers Robert Tieman (Infrastructure and Water Management) and Mona Keijzer (Housing and Spatial Planning) said that the government must provide steady funding to avoid repeated stopgap measures that leave key projects underfunded, according to a press release issued by the Dutch government.
The ministers identified “structure-strengthening projects” as a priority—critical infrastructure needed to support national development and new housing construction. They highlighted the IJmeer Connection linking Amsterdam and Almere and the Merwedelijn railway between Utrecht and Nieuwegein as examples requiring long-term investment.
Although the national infrastructure program already incorporates long-term planning through the Mobility Fund and a multi-year project schedule, the government noted that funds from the Mobility Fund have often been redirected to cover immediate budget gaps.
The ministers suggested that a structured budget increase could address the gap: an extra 1 billion euros annually for the Mobility Fund starting in 2031, rising to 2.5 billion euros by 2050, would total tens of billions of euros and allow construction and maintenance sectors to plan predictably.
Tieman and Keijzer said a realistic long-term strategy is missing. They warned that during times of scarcity, funding cuts are applied broadly rather than prioritizing specific projects.
Funding for roads, waterways, and railways is expected to decline in the coming years, even as demand increases. Aging infrastructure requires extensive repairs or replacement, and military transport imposes higher standards.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has described the challenge as the largest maintenance task ever. Rijkswaterstaat, the government agency responsible for public works, estimates a shortfall of more than 20 billion euros.
