Comments on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2015 budget
The letter on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ budget for 2015 considers, among other things, remittances to the European Union, personnel spending cuts and the Ministry´s use of open data.
The method used to calculate gross national product is currently being revised. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) is also revising its sources (on the basis of newly developed numerical data), which will have an impact on the figures. As a result, the Netherlands’ GNP will be between €20 and €50 billion higher than initially estimated. The effect this will have on the country’s remittances to the EU is currently unknown and will only become clear in the course of 2015.
In the Court of Audit’s opinion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a pacesetter in the use of open data.
The letter is only in Dutch available.