Jetten

Full EU membership must remain the ultimate goal for candidate states, Prime Minister Rob Jetten insisted ahead of a summit in Montenegro, rejecting French and German proposals for a phased accession process. While Jetten agreed that countries should see the benefits of their reforms sooner, he warned that partial access to the single market could create a two-tier Europe. Working alongside Belgium and Luxembourg, he urged candidate nations to stay focused on the European path rather than turning towards Russia, promising that the Benelux countries will soon release their own plans to improve the joining process.

The Dutch cabinet wants to introduce cheaper off-peak train fares this summer, backing a €49 subscription proposal to boost public transport use.

The Dutch cabinet says new energy-saving measures proposed by the IEA are less urgent for the Netherlands, given steps already taken since the 2022 gas crisis. Still, ministers are closely watching the economic impact of the war in the Middle East. A decision on possible support measures will follow once the scale and duration of price rises are clearer.