Netherlands: New Government Coalition Accord Reached in the Netherlands

On December 15, 2021, four Dutch political parties reached an accord, nine months after elections were held in the Netherlands. Some of the highest priority issues for the incoming government are combating climate change and tackling nitrogen emissions. The accord also proposes to increase the value-added tax (VAT) on sugary drinks and to introduce an origin label. The new government also plans to phase out the use of woody biomass for energy purposes as quickly as possible, and will only allow the use of woody biomass produced in the European Union to monitor compliance with sustainability criteria.