Just a little more about that Coronafund, NexGenEU. In 2020, the EU borrowed a collective 750 billion euros on the capital market for the first time. Historic, said Von der Leyen. What wasn’t mentioned: how and when we will pay that back, which was postponed for five years. At the launch, Professor Harald Benink calculated it for the @NOS: about 330 million euros per year for the Netherlands. A small amount and a reassuring story. Wobke @Minister_FIN agreed. Five years later, it looks different. The EU-wide interest costs for 2026 alone: 8 billion euros, well above the budgeted amount of 3.7 billion. The Netherlands, as a large net contributor, is significantly involved. And the fund is stuck in domestic policy. To be eligible for the first tranche, the Netherlands had to reform its pension system, an explicit condition according to the European Commission itself. And when the House of Representatives wanted to abolish the national CO2 tax for industry, that couldn't happen. Why not? Because a rate reduction of more than 5 percent compared to the promised rate results in a deduction from the EU subsidy, up to 600 million euros for each missed milestone. A majority in the House wanted to change our own taxes, and couldn't, because of a fund that we also have to pay into. And now again: the highest gas tax in the EU cannot be lowered. Because otherwise we miss out on 600 million euros again. What does the Netherlands get in return? A maximum of 5.4 billion in subsidies, a fraction of what Spain (79.9 billion € in subsidies + 83.2 billion € in loans) and Italy (71.8 billion € + 122.6 billion (!) € in loans) receive. The repayment of the gift portion runs until 2058 and is hidden in the regular EU contribution until 2028. In this way, the Netherlands may put in 50 billion, get less than 6 billion out, and have less say in our own tax policy than thought. This is blackmail, and the Dutch citizens know they are being cheated by Brussels. Sources: Budget Memorandum 2026, European Commission (2022, 2024), PwC Tax Plan 2026 analysis, Parliamentary documents CO2 tax industry. (translated)
