News items Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Managementhttps://www.government.nl/News items of Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management on Government.nlen-GBAny form of re-use of the content of this feed is permittedMon, 09 Mar 2026 02:44:54 GMT5News itemshttps://www.government.nl/latest/news/2025/05/14/electronic-bill-of-lading-to-have-same-effect-as-paper-versionThe transport of goods by sea involves the use of what is referred to as a bill of lading. This bill of lading is a negotiable instrument issued by the carrier. An electronic version of such a document is increasingly being used in practice in international transport. State Secretary for Legal Protection Teun Struycken and Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Barry Madlener submitted a legislative proposal to the House of Representatives that clarifies the situations in which this electronic variant has the same legal effect as a paper bill of lading.Wed, 14 May 2025 14:00:00 GMTb53e3a7c-c766-477d-aa95-0b5dda4dbce0https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2024/04/16/the-netherlands-france-the-czech-republic-and-ireland-call-for-a-european-policy-package-on-sustainable-carbon-in-the-chemical-industryIn order to make the transition from fossil to sustainable raw materials in the chemical industry, policy is needed at EU-level. The Netherlands, France, the Czech Republic and Ireland call upon the European Commission to put forward a policy package on sustainable carbon. Vivianne Heijnen, Minister for the Environment of the Netherlands, handed over a joint statement to Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action, in Brussels on Tuesday.Tue, 16 Apr 2024 11:00:00 GMT33bb8e8a-345e-4eaf-b429-2f8271139d4bhttps://www.government.nl/latest/news/2024/03/28/the-netherlands-to-invest-%E2%82%AC2.5-billion-to-strengthen-business-climate-for-chip-industry-in-brainport-eindhovenFound in objects from telephones to solar panels and medical equipment, microchips play a crucial role in everyday life. Dutch businesses and knowledge institutions lead the way in the global chip industry. But in the Brainport Eindhoven region they’re coming up against limits in terms of personnel, space and energy. The Dutch central and regional governments have made agreements aimed at addressing these problems. This should safeguard the Netherlands’ position as an attractive business environment for the semiconductor industry and its suppliers. This industry is important for the Netherlands' earning capacity, and it provides jobs and contributes to our country's security and autonomyThu, 28 Mar 2024 14:59:00 GMTf0bdbb33-d576-4eaf-a4a0-fe5bb9f2f58chttps://www.government.nl/latest/news/2024/03/14/government-and-banks-work-together-to-accelerate-the-circular-economyThe State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, Vivianne Heijnen, and Medy van der Laan of the Dutch Banking Association have put their signatures to agreements to further develop a circular economy.Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:22:00 GMTb917f836-d90d-481f-b283-9be062718e34https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2023/11/21/more-international-cooperation-on-north-sea-arrangementsToday, countries around the North Sea have agreed to use and protect this sea more efficiently. Until now, countries mainly cooperated within their own sectors at the international level, in the fields of energy, fisheries and nature for example.Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:00:00 GMT2a9bce59-594e-43b4-8a9c-ff58ffda65b5https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2022/09/06/dutch-expertise-on-ev-charging-goes-to-californiaCharging electric cars needs to become easier, safer and smarter. Dutch environment minister Vivianne Heijnen and Yana Garcia Gonzalez, Secretary for Environmental Protection of California, signed an agreement to this end today. Experts from the Netherlands and California will work together towards better regulation and greater use of new technologies. This is necessary if by 2035 all new cars sold in the European Union and California are to be zero-emission. The agreement was signed during the Dutch trade mission to San Francisco, in the presence of Queen Máxima and California’s Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.Tue, 06 Sep 2022 18:30:00 GMT1a91165e-a941-4814-99e9-ca9c5c2848d4https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2022/08/30/heijnen-at-the-g20-reuse-key-to-preventing-plastic-soupRecycling alone is not enough to combat plastic pollution and plastic soup. Worldwide, we need to focus more strongly on reusing plastic products and packaging, to reduce demand for virgin plastics and prevent environmental pollution. This will be the message of environment minister Vivianne Heijnen today when she addresses her international colleagues at the G20 meeting on climate and the environment in Indonesia.Tue, 30 Aug 2022 17:00:00 GMT83f7ffec-d66d-4a5d-8528-e7773bb61b51https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2021/04/22/dutch-minister-van-nieuwenhuizen-speaks-during-president-biden%E2%80%99s-climate-summitToday, Dutch Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Water Management) will be participating in the Leaders Summit on Climate. The Summit has been initiated by US President Joe Biden. Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen is contributing to the ministerial break-out session on Adaptation and Resilience, chaired by US Secretary of State for Agriculture Tom Vilsack.Thu, 22 Apr 2021 15:40:00 GMT1b2ffb05-5463-4167-b1c1-26085c3e0f88https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2017/04/24/study-shopkeepers-see-substantial-reduction-in-use-of-plastic-bagsSince the introduction of the ban on giving out free plastic bags, shopkeepers have seen consumers alter their behaviour. Now that consumers have to pay to have their shopping bagged, the use of plastic bags has fallen by 71 percent. This has emerged from a new study, conducted by research bureau SAMR under the authority of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment.Mon, 24 Apr 2017 07:53:00 GMT577bf356-05a1-4cb9-bcb0-0fd61927eabchttps://www.government.nl/latest/news/2015/02/05/the-netherlands-to-become-a-test-country-for-self-driving-carsThe Netherlands will become a testing ground for self-driving vehicles. As proposed by Minister Schultz van Haegen of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Council of Ministers approved an amendment of the regulations to enable large-scale tests with self-driving cars and lorries at public roads.Fri, 23 Jan 2015 12:25:00 GMT4d313024-383e-4681-8c9d-29f687ca7ca7