Opening hoofdkantoor TNT Express

Toespraak | 29-09-2011

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour and a pleasure to be here today

to open the new head office of TNT Express.

You may be thinking, I’ve heard that before.

Couldn’t the State Secretary come up with something more original?

I would reply that I mean what I say.

It really is a pleasure to be opening this building today.

Let me tell you why.

The first reason is the building itself.

It is not only beautiful.

It also contains the most sustainable office in the Netherlands.

That is more than a nice touch.

It is a real achievement.

And it is a statement.

It tells you about the identity of TNT Express.

About the kind of company it wants to be.

It shows you that TNT Express

is serious about reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

I would also like to congratulate property developer OVG,

and Triodos who financed the project, on achieving this result.

Thanks to close cooperation between all the parties involved,

this building is an example to every other company

when it comes to sustainability.

This building shows ambition.  

By that I mean the will to innovate.  

I will be giving you some good news about that later.

Unless we innovate, sustainability is a dream we will never achieve.

There is another reason I am pleased to be here today.

And it is also connected to the identity of TNT Express.

Its Dutch identity.

Of course, TNT Express is an international company.

But it has Dutch roots.

So I am delighted,

that it has decided to set up its head office here in the Netherlands.

We are not talking about any company.

This is the biggest transport company in the Netherlands,

and the biggest express delivery firm in Europe.

So within our borders we have a company

with a worldwide turnover of more than seven billion euros,

and a fleet of 20,000 trucks and vans in Europe alone.

And it has a fleet of aircraft

that would make most airlines green with envy.

The Netherlands is right to be proud of a company like this.

So now you can see why I said it is an honour to open this building.

Today is a celebration.

But allow me to strike a more serious note.

The current economic climate is bleak.

In times like these, countries need a robust business community. Especially small countries like the Netherlands.

The government is doing all it can to stimulate business.

First by creating an attractive tax climate.

We have an extensive system of tax treaties.

So companies do not have to pay twice if they do business

across the border.

An attractive option offered by our tax authorities

is proactive consultation combined with horizontal monitoring.

This means that businesses know exactly where they stand,

right from the outset.

At 25 per cent, our corporate tax rate is attractive.

And I hope to lower it even further during my term in office

so that it remains competitive.

And we have tax incentives for innovative companies.

Profits from successful innovative products

are taxed at a rate of only five per cent.

So you see: these are all measures

that benefit companies, like TNT Express, that operate internationally.

They are good for companies in every sector where innovation is crucial.

Like the healthcare sector, ICT, and the chemical industry.

The question is, do we need more of these measures?

The government believes we do,

given the tough times we are going through.

We are planning to sharpen the focus of the expat tax scheme. 

Under this scheme, knowledge workers receive tax-free allowances

of up to 30 per cent of their taxable salaries

to cover costs like school fees.

It will no longer be open to knowledge workers in the border areas.

But it will be open to foreign nationals

who get their PhD in the Netherlands and then decide to work here.

So it is aimed at the real high flyers,

and innovators especially.

And, even more important, we will be introducing

the Research & Development tax credit as of next year.

It is intended for capital-intensive innovation.

This extra tax measure will give companies more scope

to develop innovative products.

With the Research & Development tax credit

and tax incentives for innovative products,

this puts the Netherlands in the Premier League of innovative nations.

So the government creates favourable conditions.

But, it is still up to the companies themselves to deliver the goods!

Ladies and gentlemen,

I hope that all this good news has put you in a PARTY mood.

This splendid new head office is a good reason for a celebration.  

I hope that TNT Express will enjoy using this wonderful new building.

And in these difficult times, may I wish you all every success.

Thank you.