The government’s macro-economic forecasting agency sees no reason to amend economic forecasts made in September which said the Dutch economy will grow by 0.5% next year.

Director Laura van Geest told the NRC on Thursday in an interview that there are ‘no factors’ to ‘seriously disturb’ the September estimates. ‘Therefore I do not expect any radical changes in our mid-December forecasts,’ Van Geest said.

The CPB said at the presentation of the government’s 2014 spending plans the economy will contract by 1% this year and grow by 0.5% in 2014.

Earlier this month, the OECD said it expects the Dutch economy to contract by 0.1% next year. The latest European Commission forecasts say the growth will be limited to 0.2%.