SCENESETTER FOR CODEL DUNCAN VISIT TO THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001776 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO CODEL DUNCAN DEPARTMENT FOR H AND EUR/UBI SENSITIVE CODEL SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT ECON PREL PGOV OREP NL SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL DUNCAN VISIT TO THE NETHERLANDS, AUGUST 24-27, 2006 THE HAGUE 00001776 001.3 OF 002 ¶1. We warmly welcome your visit to the Netherlands on transportation infrastructure and security issues. The Netherlands prides itself as the "Gateway to Europe" for trade and commerce. The Port of Rotterdam is the world's third largest in terms of cargo throughput. Amsterdam's Schiphol airport is Europe's fifth largest in terms of passenger traffic and third largest air cargo hub. The Dutch have actively implemented several transportation and border security initiatives in recent years. The Port of Rotterdam was the first foreign port to implement the Department of Homeland Security's Container Security Initiative (CSI). During your visit, you will visit both the Port of Rotterdam, where you will tour the container scanning facility and the Harbor Coordination Center, and Schiphol airport, where you will tour the baggage screening facility. You will also meet with the Ministry of Transportation Director General for Transport and Civil Aviation for an overview of Dutch freight and port security programs. Port of Rotterdam -------------- ¶2. The Port of Rotterdam is the third largest in the world. Over 370 million tons of cargo passed through Rotterdam in ¶2005. Roughly 6 percent of the cargo traffic transiting Rotterdam goes to the U.S. The port stretches for nearly 30 miles and the port and industrial area covers 26,000 acres. If the port of Baltimore were the same size, it would stretch from the center of Baltimore to Annapolis. ¶3. Rotterdam is Europe's largest container processing port (9.3 million twenty-foot equivalent containers passed through Rotterdam in 2005),but the majority of shipments are in bulk form. Rotterdam is Europe's most important port for oil and chemicals, iron ore, coal, food and metals. Crude oil, oil products and liquid chemicals together account for almost half of the total cargo throughput in Rotterdam; five refineries are situated within the port and industrial complex. Liquid oil and petroleum products are transported throughout Europe through a comprehensive network of pipelines. Port Security Initiatives -------------- ¶4. Rotterdam has been a leader in adopting new port security programs, in part to retain its competitive advantage in attracting shipping business. In September 2002, Rotterdam became the first foreign port to sign on to the U.S. Customs Container Security Initiative (CSI),designed to enhance the security of containerized cargo destined for the United States. Under CSI, a team of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers work with their Dutch counterparts to screen cargo manifests to identify containers that potentially pose a terrorist risk to the United States. Selected U.S.-bound containers are scanned at the container security screening facility located on the Maasvlakte, at the mouth of Rotterdam harbor. You will visit the Maasvlakte facility, where you can observe the operation of this screening. ¶5. The Port of Rotterdam is currently working toward qualifying as the first major CBP-recognized "Trade Facilitation" port, which would permit clearance without additional security inspections of containers upon arrival at the U.S. port of entry. The Dutch have also installed radiological portal monitors at Rotterdam, in partnership with the Department of Energy's Megaport/Second Line of Defense initiative, designed to prevent illicit shipment of nuclear and other radioactive materials. The USG funded the installation of one set of radiological scanners; the Dutch have since added three more on their own. Radiological scanners will be visible from the Maasvlakte during your visit there. ¶6. Schiphol Airport, Europe's third largest air cargo hub and fifth largest in terms of passenger traffic, has also been a leader in implementing heightened security measures. Under the Immigration Advisory Program (IAP),four CBP immigration officers are assigned to Schiphol Airport to assist airlines with US-bound passenger screening to prevent boarding of individuals who may be inadmissible to the U.S. THE HAGUE 00001776 002.3 OF 002 Since the program began in June 2004, IAP officers have made 770 "No Board" recommendations to airlines; such recommendations are based on inadequate or fraudulent documentation, or identification of high risk passengers. The U.S. and Dutch governments are negotiating a pilot International Registered Travelers program to facilitate travel by low-risk passengers between Schiphol Airport and JFK. Political/Economic Overview -------------- Early Elections -------------- ¶7. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary form of government. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's center-right coalition government collapsed on June 30, at the beginning of its fourth and final year in office, when the Social Liberal (D66) party, the smallest of the three coalition partners, withdrew its support. Balkenende continues to govern with a minority government, comprised of his Christian Democratic (CDA) and the Conservative Liberal (VVD) parties. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 22. The interim cabinet will focus on completing Balkenende's top priority: presenting a budget and tax plan that includes private and corporate tax cuts. The Balkenende government will also continue to oversee the deployment of Dutch troops to Uruzgan province in Afghanistan, which began on August 1, and may possibly consider Dutch participation in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program before the elections. Economy Strong Going Into Elections -------------- ¶9. In the remaining months before the general elections, Balkenende hopes to build on the government's earlier structural reforms, designed to increase labor market participation, restructure the social welfare system, improve the business climate, and foster greater market flexibility. These reforms, and near-stagnant growth rates between 2001 and 2005, cost the Balkenende government popular support. However, recent economic estimates show that the Dutch economy is running ahead of eurozone averages for the first time in seven years. GDP is expected to grow by 2.5 to 3 percent in 2006; unemployment has fallen to 5.5 percent. A recent IMF report praised the Netherlands for implementing sound policies that have reduced the budget deficit and strengthened th economy but also stressed the need for furtherstructural reforms. ¶10. The minority CDA-VVD goernment is hailing the recent economic upswing asa sign that their four-year strategy to reinvigorate the Dutch economy, begun with difficult structural reforms to be followed by more popular policies such as tax cuts in the upcoming budget cycle, has been successful. Polls suggest that voters support this interpretation. Until recently, the Labor (PvdA) party, the principal opposition party, held a comfortable lead over the governing coalition parties. Due partly to the improved economic news and partly to PvdA leader Wouter Bos's controversial and complicated socioeconomic proposals, polls now indicate that the November elections will be a neck and neck race between the PvdA and Balkenende's Christian Democratic party. Arnall