Dutch Ministers Named, Groningen Ruling Soon

As a far-ranging court decision is awaited next month from the Netherlands Council of State (Raad van State) on whether, and if so how much, production may continue from the Groningen gas field, key ministerial roles and a senior advisor have been announced by the new Dutch government.

The court ruling was originally due mid-November but Groningen operator NAM said recently it was expected early next month. However a spokesperson for the Raad van State told NGW October 30: "There's no precise date yet" but added that it would be notified "well in advance."

New minister and junior minister

King Willem-Alexander officially named the new cabinet October 26, which includes Eric Wiebes as minister of economic affairs and climate (previously economy ministry). He replaces Henk Kamp who was economy minister for the past five years and had wanted to retire from government. Wiebes will work alongside Mona Keizer, state-secretary in the same ministry. Cabinet appointments were announced two days earlier on October 24. Wiebes was state-secretary (junior minister) in the finance ministry since 2014, and belongs to the same centre-right VVD party as the prime minister Mark Rutte. 

An energy engineer at Shell from 1987 to 1989, Wiebes then switched to work as a consultant at McKinsey & Co in 1990, and from 1993 to 2004 worked at OC&C, another global consultancy. He became an official at the economy ministry in 2004, becoming its deputy secretary general in 2007. He then switched to a political career, initially from 2010 to 2014 on Amsterdam City Council. 

Keizer, a lawyer, held a mix of legal and local government appointments until her election in 2012 as parliamentarian for the centrist CDA party. This is her first appointment in a ministerial role.

Senior adviser

The government said October 26 that Anita Wouters has been appointed as director-general of the Groningen surface project (Groningen Bovengrond) at the economic affairs and climate ministry (previously economy ministry) where she will be responsible for providing advice concerning reinforcement of buildings and compensation for owners relating to earthquakes in the Groningen region, these being officially attributed to gas production activities.

She said: "Earthquakes have a lot of impact on the people in Groningen. Proper damage management and rapid strengthening of homes and buildings, in conjunction with and focused on a good future perspective, are therefore very important. People want to live and work safely. I want to work for this from my new position with regional directors, social organisations and the National Coordinator for Groningen" (another state official).  

Wouters' initial appointment is for 18 months. She is currently working at 'ABDTOP Consult' a small team of top officials on hand to advise the Dutch cabinet over complex or urgent issues. She was previously director-general (top official) in the agriculture, nature and food quality ministry. 

Mark Smedley