The Netherlands makes less use of European subsidies than any other member country, according to the EU’s final financial statement for the period 2003 to 2005.

Over that period, the Netherlands left €311m in European Social Fund subsidies unclaimed, the NRC Handelsblad reports. The money will now be given to other member countries by Brussels, the paper says.
A further €1.2bn is awaiting Dutch projects. If not enough projects are carried out before the end of 2008, the Netherlands is liable to lose out on this money too, says the NRC.
Dutch developers and local councils have been wary of EU subsidies since the early 1990s when many projects did not conform to European administration regulations and €237m had to be paid back to Brussels.