Ministers are urging Dutch companies to bring manufacturing back to the Netherlands, social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher has told MPs in a briefing.

Asscher says between 1% and 2% of companies which have moved manufacturing and other labour intensive services abroad are now bringing them back to the Netherlands – a process known as reshoring.

Some 14% of Dutch firms have shifted work abroad, the minister said, quoting a TNS Nipo survey.

Wages

Reasons to return to the Netherlands include rising wage costs in other countries, cultural differences, quality issues and the difficulty of managing processes from a distance, the survey showed.

In his briefing, the minister stresses the advantages of locating in the Netherlands, including the well-educated workforce, good infrastructure and health service. There are also numerous incentives and sector-specific campaigns.

The government has made boosting employment levels one of its key priorities for next year.