DutchNews.nl - Europe did not force us to privatise, senate commission told

Three senior figures in public service were heard during the first day of the Senate's inquiry into the privatisation of public services on Monday, and there was criticism of the government for not doing its homework properly.

Saskia Stuiveling, president of the general audit office, told the inquiry the follow-through was often missing once the privatisation plan had been thought up.

For example, putting national museums at arms length cost a great deal of time and money, she said. Directors are no longer civil servants and become 'saddled' with new ambitions.

In addition, there is no benchmark for establishing if cost efficiency and other factors improved post-privatisation, and ministers had failed to learn from the experiences and mistakes of others, the Financieele Dagblad quoted Stuiveling as saying.

Herman Tjeenk Willink, former deputy president of the Raad van State, the government's highest advisory body, said it is nonsense to say privatisation was forced through by Brussels.

'The Netherlands went further than Europe suggested,' he said. 'Europe did not force countries to privatise, that was up to the member states. But we had decided to privatise and used Europe as the alibi,' Tjeenk Willink was quoted as saying by Nos television.

Alexander Rinnooy Kan, outgoing chairman of the SER advisory group, told the commission that the interests of the public had not been properly taken into account when it was decided to privatise or put government companies at arms length.

The senate committee is looking at the impact of 20 years of privatisation, with particular focus on telecoms and post, the railways and energy market. Five more days of hearings are scheduled and several former ministers, including former finance minister Gerrit Zalm, are among those being questioned.

Readers' Comments

'The Netherlands went further than Europe suggested' - why? why would any country choose for this?
'In addition, there is no benchmark for establishing if cost efficiency and other factors improved post-privatisation, and ministers had failed to learn from the experiences and mistakes of others'- this is pure lack of vision and incompetence. this is 'taking the easy way out' at the expense of everyone that lives here.

By Bill | 5 June 2012 10:02 AM

@Bill: This is just the result of ideology, now it is obvious. Ideology requires no measured results! Why would neoliberalism be any different than any other freaky utopian doctrine?

By Kevin | 5 June 2012 5:45 PM

Thanks Kevin for your response to these comments on privatization. Funny thing is, I do not see one single explanation from any Dutch or other EU voter as to why exactly they chose for this. Not even one single explanation or reason - whether it makes sense or not! Anyone care to explain how this happened? It was voted for, so it was absolutely a choice that was made by voters.

By Bill | 6 June 2012 10:17 AM

Kevin: this is the result of Europe trying to copy the American free market system - without understanding what that really means. It means sacrificing your social protections, rights and privileges. You cannot have it both ways.
Everybody cannot have everything. We now know this in the USA. We have major problems there. This is big lie about Free Market Capitalism, America and the American dream that Europeans have swallowed hook, line and sinker. A very bitter pill indeed.

By Bill | 6 June 2012 11:54 AM

@Bill- the problem is the people don't understand what they are voting for & most parties on the left & the right are all puppets of the World bank & IMF. Not to mention the media is in bed with them.

It's going to result in a return to 1930's politics (National Socialism) because people are waking up & are sick of it. History always repeats.

By Phil | 7 June 2012 10:00 AM

Getting rid of pulbic employees in typically private enterprises such as health care, communications and post deliveries is, on itself, a laudable goal.

By Andre L. | 7 June 2012 10:53 AM