UNU-MERIT Working Papers Series

A Strategy for Cybersecurity and Digital Sovereignty for the Netherlands (2025–2035) Contribution to a Coalition Agreement

Melis Akcan, David Groep, Jo Ritzen & Nicholas Rounding #2025-029

This paper proposes a mission-oriented national strategy for strengthening cybersecurity and achieving digital sovereignty in the Netherlands for 2025–2035. It outlines an integrated framework across four pillars: national cyber resilience, sovereign digital procurement, innovation and ecosystem development, and societal capacity-building. Emphasizing European cooperation, secure-by-design principles, and strategic public investment, the strategy aims to reduce dependence on non-EU technologies, enhance deterrence capabilities, and support talent development. A phased implementation roadmap highlights concrete actions for government, industry, and academia to ensure long-term national security, economic resilience, and democratic integrity in an increasingly contested digital landscape

JEL Classification: H56, O38, L86, F52

Keywords: Cybersecurity, Digital Sovereignty, Public Procurement, Innovation Policy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53330/ZMFF2486

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