The Volkskrant interviewed Hans Wijers, chairman of the board of management at AkzoNobel and former D66 economic affairs minister: ‘I’m not one of those Jeremiahs who are predicting the end of the euro zone. My optimism is based on the fact that Europe will always stumble towards a solution’.

Stimulate competitiveness
Weijers, who is stepping down in 2012, sums up four conditions for a sound euro zone: watertight agreements on government finance and a loss of autonomy if countries fail to comply, a more efficient European emergency fund and a debt write-off for Greece. ‘We also need to stimulate the competitiveness of countries like Greece. This is vital. It’s the essence of growth.’
At the same time, Europe has to look forward, Wijers says. ‘Look at the discussion about pensions. It is no good banging on about how things aren’t as good as they used to be. The world is changing.’
Wijers warns that if Europe doesn’t ‘get its backside into gear’ Brazil and China will be competing with Europe on its own turf: ‘These countries are becoming knowledge based economies too. But I don’t see how Europe with its expertise and knowledge would be incapable of reinventing itself as it has done for the last 150 years.’
Fear
According to Wijers the European attitude to emerging economies is one of fear. ‘Even supporters of globalisation are saying: look out, you will have to work harder and longer otherwise the Indians, or the Chinese…We should be focusing on the positives, like the fact that we have one of the most competitive economies in the world.’ Wijers warns that ‘the openness’ of the Netherlands makes for an attractive investment climate which should not be jeopardised by an antagonistic attitude towards emerging economies.
Guts
‘If we show some guts and determination we can beat the euro crisis’, he says, pointing at the USA whose macro economic situation is worse but which nevertheless manages to inspire a ‘fundamental confidence’ in the country’s economic survival whereas Europe has been‘prevaricating and taking half measures’.
The next few weeks will be crucial but the European knack of surviving crises, a strong European central bank and, last but not least, common sense will pull us through, Wijers thinks. ‘It’s so obvious we have to find a solution. In the end human logic will prevail.’