THE HAGUE – A new wave of reforms aimed at improving the investment climate in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom is underway, addressing long-standing complaints about slow bureaucracy, opaque permitting procedures and weak consumer protections. The measures are included in the Dutch government’s progress document released this week.
Central to the plan is the development of updated legislation for competition policy, consumer protection, privacy, and business licensing across Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. These reforms are designed to reduce monopolistic structures, strengthen regulatory transparency and protect foreign and local investors.
A parallel effort focuses on digitalizing government services—an area Dutch officials say is essential to lowering administrative burdens on entrepreneurs. Pilot programs on all three islands are testing digital permit applications, electronic signatures, and streamlined data exchanges between ministries.
To support small and medium-sized enterprises, the Netherlands has expanded access to the BMKB credit-guarantee scheme, enabling Caribbean businesses to secure loans even with limited collateral. This is expected to boost entrepreneurship in tourism, food production, maritime services and technology sectors.
The islands will also benefit from ongoing cooperation with the International Monetary Fund’s CARTAC program, strengthened by a €1.5 million Dutch contribution. CARTAC provides technical support on public-finance management, statistics, tax administration and economic modeling.
According to the report, improved governance and administrative efficiency are critical for attracting investors, ensuring fair competition, and fortifying the islands’ resilience in the face of economic shocks.