Dutch government commitment to MedTech ecosystem (2026–2036)

On July 6, 2026, the Dutch Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) and Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) presented the government's response to the MedTech Growth Plan. The government endorsed the plan's ambition to strengthen the Dutch medical technology sector, recognizing its potential to address two major systemic pressures on the Dutch healthcare system: growing workforce shortages and rising demand for care driven by an aging population.

The ministries announced the allocation of €102.5 million to support the structural strengthening of the national medical technology sector. The framework operates on a 1:1 matching principle, requiring private-sector stakeholders to contribute at least an equal amount. Initial private-sector commitments are already underway, notably from Philips, which has announced a €50 million investment in AI-driven robotic technologies for surgical environments.

The government and sector partners will focus on three technical priority areas to drive growth and implementation:

• National vision: VWS and EZK are working on creating a coherent policy across to ensure "one government voice" regarding MedTech priorities;
• Image-guided therapies: targeted investment in innovations in the field of image-guided therapies, combined with AI, to develop the "operating room of the future";
• Hospitals of the future: accelerated scaling and implementation of innovative care concepts nationwide to reduce waiting lists and increase systemic resilience

The government's role is primarily to create the enabling conditions required for the development of a unified MedTech ecosystem encompassing start-ups, SMEs, technical universities, knowledge institutions, and healthcare providers. Key areas of government intervention include developing appropriate legislation and regulations, facilitating the implementation and scaling of healthcare innovations, and strengthening data infrastructure and AI integration capabilities.

The detailed policy agenda is scheduled to be presented to the House of Representatives in autumn 2026.

This news is just one of about 300 market access news and updates collected by our team in the premium subscription service MTRC Access Intelligence every week from more than 80 organizations. Access our paid service to stay on top of all developments, specifically for your products in Europe (reimbursement news) and globally (HTA news). Access is organized as an online Database and email alert formats. Contact us to get a free, six-week, no-obligation trial.