VROM | Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment

The Netherlands: sixteen million people on a small piece of land
The Netherlands is a densely populated country where issues such as living space have to be carefully considered. Maintaining the welfare society needs respect for nature, space and raw materials. We have to keep the environment that we live, work, and recreate in liveable - not only for ourselves but for future generations as well.

The four thousand employees of the Ministry of VROM work to find creative and sustainable solutions for improving the living environment of this country. They carry out their task in close co-operation with various international and domestic partners. The Ministry operates in three major areas. These are: living space, housing and environment. An additional task is to plan, to conduct and to supervise the building of projects in government housing.

Words...
VROM's goal is to make a policy in pace and harmony with current social, technological and political developments. We implement that policy in close co-operation with other ministries, local and regional governments, social organisations, businesses and interest groups as well as other national governments.

The Memorandum on the Implementation of the Climate Policy based on various international agreements is a good example of that. Other major components of VROM's policy are: the Memorandum Living in the 21st century, the Fifth Memorandum on Spatial Planning as well as the National Environmental Policy Plan No. 4. These memoranda not only serve as guidelines for laws and regulations. They serve as important guidelines for provinces and municipalities. These memoranda make once again clear that issues on 'living', 'space' and 'environment' exercise a mutual influence on each other and have to be approached in their complexity.

...and action
The Ministry has to rely on other organisations in carrying its policy. Ideally those partners adapt to laws and rules voluntarily. However that is not always the case. The Ministry Inspectorate 's responsibility is to make companies adopt environmental regulations and make municipalities observe zoning schemes.

The Ministry is also responsible for operating application desks for rent subsidies. Rent subsidies are small contributions to allow people have affordable housing.

The Ministry's philosophy is: action speaks louder than words. The building of the head-office runs on 100% environment-friendly energy.