NL Agency

NL Agency – Who are we?

NL Agency is an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs that implements government policy for sustainability, innovation, and international business and cooperation. It is the contact point for businesses, educational institutions and government bodies for information and advice, financing, networking and regulatory matters.

NL Agency covers five areas of expertise:

• NL Energy and Climate Change;
• NL EVD International;
• NL Innovation;
• NL Environment;
• NL Patent Office.

NL Agency also works in commission of other Dutch governmental bodies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment; the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality; and the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. In addition NL Agency works on behalf of international organisations such as the European Commission, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and foreign governments. Through us these organisations are able to gain access to a broad Dutch network of knowledge institutes, research centres, trade associations, companies and government officials.

NL Agency officially started on 1^st January 2010. It is a merger of 3 former agencies all under the Ministry of Economic Affairs – the Netherlands Agency for Sustainability and Innovation (SenterNovem), the Agency for International Business and Cooperation (EVD), and the Netherlands Patent Office (OctrooiCentrum Nederland). See below information on each of the 3 former organisations:

SenterNovem, the agency responsible for promoting sustainable development and innovation, both within the Netherlands and abroad. SenterNovem’s key competence has been converting government policy into reality. On behalf of the Dutch government SenterNovem has been implementing policy relating to innovation, energy and climate change and the environment and spatial planning. Its wide spectrum of products and services have included developing and disseminating knowledge, to monitoring and developing policy instruments and to managing subsidy schemes. Helping convert policy into reality is the key.

The Agency for International Business and Cooperation (EVD), also part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs has had as its mission is to promote and encourage international business and international cooperation. As a State agency and a partner to businesses and public-sector organisations, the EVD has been aiming to help Dutch entrepreneurs to achieve success in their international operations. A   growing network of organisations, government institutions and companies have come to rely on the EVD for information about foreign markets, governments and trade and industry. With its wide-ranging knowledge, the EVD is able to develop products and services that meet the needs of its customers and clients. It obtains its information from its network of Dutch and international organisations, which include international financing organisations, the European Commission, embassies, Chambers of Commerce, local business support offices, trade representative associations and, needless to say, trade and industry.

The Netherlands Patent Office aims to achieve an enterprising and innovative Netherlands. In a world in which boundaries are disappearing and people, capital, information and products move around with increasing ease, the protection of industrial property and the use of information stored within patents are essential for the knowledge economy in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands Patent Office ensures that companies, knowledge institutions, authorities and inventors:

- are able to apply for patents easily in order to protect their technological invention (the patenting organisation);

- receive information regarding the patenting system and are able to use patents as a source of information and inspiration (the knowledge centre);

- are represented in European and global organisations in the field of industrial property (the representative).

By joining forces of these 3 agencies, combining its knowledge and expertise, NL Agency will be an even stronger and more efficient organisation, leading to cost effectiveness and even higher quality results. To the outside world one door of contact will make us more accessible and easier to find.

Contact point

Rebecca van Leeuwen
NL Agency
Swentiboldstraat 21
P.O. box 17
6130 AA Sittard
The Netherlands
Tel. 0031 88 602 2240 Fax: 0031 88 602 9021
E-mail: rebecca.vanleeuwen@agentschapnl.nl