A well-established Dutch Digital Service (Nederlandse Digitale Dienst, NDD) with sufficient authority will boost implementation of the Netherlands’ Digitalisation Strategy (NDS). This is the conclusion of the former NDS Council in its final advice, Samen sturen, samen waarmaken! (Steering together, delivering together!). The advice was presented to Willemijn Aerdts, State Secretary for Digital Economy and Sovereignty, on 7 May by Nathan Ducastel, Chair of the NDS Council and Director of VNG-Realisatie.
Governance
At the heart of the advice is the recommendation that the new Digital Service should leverage the system’s existing strengths, which currently lack coordinated direction. This includes organisations providing infrastructure, standards, implementation capacity, management, or expertise. The service will align the portfolios, capacity, and implementation planning of delivery partners with government-wide NDS priorities, without assuming responsibility for the primary processes of individual government organisations. “We strongly urge making smart use of what already exists,” Ducastel explains.
Architecture and portfolio
The advice highlights 4 essential conditions. First, architecture and portfolio governance as a verifiable compass, enabling government-wide alignment on coherence, prioritisation, reuse, and adoption. Second, operational effectiveness to support the implementation and adoption of government-wide building blocks. Third, adequate funding to cover costs such as friction, migrations, and legacy system decommissioning. Finally, aggregation of market demand is the last condition.
An agile government
At the end of 2025, the previous State Secretary asked the NDS Council to advise on a Digital Service. The new cabinet has since announced the establishment of a Dutch Digital Service (NDD). “It’s fantastic that the cabinet is tackling this with such urgency,” says Ducastel. “We need to make a significant shift in digital government, from working in silos to greater collaboration. Past experience has shown that operational effectiveness is critical to such a profound change. This means firmly embedding an organisation. A successful Digital Service is therefore a prerequisite for the NDS and, by extension, for an agile government.”
NDS Council
The NDS Council hopes its advice will assist the cabinet in setting up the Digital Service. “With this, the work of the NDS Council is complete,” Ducastel states. “We are pleased to present this advice and proud to have contributed to the launch of the NDS.”
