Municipalities in Brabant are concerned about the feasibility of government plans to keep chip manufacturer ASML in the region, according to documents obtained by Omroep Brabant. Major issues include shortages of skilled personnel and financial resources.
In March last year, the outgoing cabinet allocated 1.73 billion euros to retain tech companies like ASML and NXP in Eindhoven. ‘Project Beethoven’ focuses on enhancing education, addressing infrastructure, and building new housing in the area.
Eindhoven and twenty neighboring municipalities, collectively known as the Brainport region, are contributing approximately 700 million euros to the project. However, smaller municipalities struggle to find skilled workers, leading to delays.
Additionally, there are concerns about funding new facilities needed for the growing population. The national government plans to cut 3 billion euros annually from municipal budgets starting in 2026, further complicating investment efforts.
Larger cities like Eindhoven and Helmond are less affected, but still share the concerns.
Source: NOS