Toespraak van minister-president Rutte bij de tijdens de Investors lunch in Atlanta

Toespraak | 07-10-2015

Ladies and gentlemen,

Think of Atlanta and you think of Coca-Cola. Think of the Netherlands and you think of Heineken. Both are great export products and are among the most famous brand names in the world. I must admit that one is a bit more famous than the other. But I think we can agree that we both know about beverages!

I mention these companies for a reason. They are excellent examples of the growing cooperation between the Dutch-Flemish region and Atlanta. Heineken has a distribution centre here in the Port of Savannah. And Coca-Cola Enterprises just expanded its operations in the Netherlands by opening one of Europe's most advanced production sites in Dongen.

But beverages are not the only thing we have in common. We are on different continents, with an ocean between us. We might seem to be worlds apart, but we are not. And the American entrepreneurs here today know that better than anyone. We very much appreciate your investment in the Netherlands and your selecting the Netherlands-Flanders business delta to create a foothold in Europa.

The Dutch and Flemish businesses on this trade mission are equally interested in technology matchmaking and doing business in the US. That's because business is in our DNA and has been for centuries. We've always looked beyond our borders.

And today - to paraphrase Ray Charles - we've got Georgia on our mind.

In fact, we've got each other on our minds, and that's why the economic ties between the Netherlands, Flanders and Atlanta are growing. The value of exports from Georgia to the Netherlands is 850 million dollars a year. And exports in the other direction are worth 900 million dollars a year. That's a total export value of nearly two billion dollars.

It makes sense that ties between our regions are growing closer. Just as Georgia is a gateway to the US, the Netherlands and Flanders are the gateway to Europe.
You have the great port of Savannah; we have the great ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. These are crucial logistics hubs in the US and Europe.

But our regions are also leaders in information technology. And in this field, the sky's the limit. I recently heard someone say that digital development is the circulatory system of the new economy. There's a great need for smart ideas and innovations. In the Netherlands and Flanders, we know that. And in Atlanta, you know it better than anyone. Your city has been called the new Silicon Valley of FinTech and cyber security.

Amsterdam has also proven to be fertile ground for startups. Take the software company Backbase, a member of our trade delegation. Backbase creates smart customer interactions for mobile apps, and has long outgrown its startup status. This week they are opening an office in Atlanta.

And that's only one of many examples. Startups are springing up all over the Netherlands, not only in Amsterdam. This is thanks to our innovative mind-set and enterprising spirit. The Netherlands is home to leading technology clusters, with world-class R&D in the fields of agrifood, life sciences and health, chemicals and high-tech. In these clusters, business, academia and government work together in a truly unique way, creating a climate for innovation. And we have an educated and flexible workforce with an open, international and pro-business mentality.

But you've already noticed that. Many of you have been active in the Netherlands for many years and you continue to grow your business and expand your operations.
This past year, we've seen new companies from Georgia starting operations in the Netherlands, like Inmark, Kids II, Speakeasy and Spanx. And Dutch companies like KLM and BCD are opening locations in Georgia.

That's exciting. And the innovative power of the Netherlands, Flanders and Georgia offers many more opportunities in FinTech, information security and logistics.
That's why I'm happy you're all here today. My colleagues from the NFIA and I will listen carefully to your needs. We want to know what you need to keep your business booming in Europe, so that we can provide a pro-business investment climate and maintain our leading position. In the words of the legendary Yogi Berra - may he rest in peace: 'when you arrive at a fork in the road, take it'. Well, we plan to take it.

Thank you.