Dirk Beljaarts
Dirk Beljaarts | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Economic Affairs | |
| Assumed office 2 July 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Dick Schoof |
| Preceded by | Micky Adriaansens (as Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) |
| Honorary consul of Hungary in the Netherlands | |
| In office 2015–2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dirk Stefan Beljaarts 8 February 1978 Roosendaal, Netherlands |
| Citizenship | Netherlands Hungary (1978–2024) |
| Political party | Party for Freedom |
| Occupation |
|
Dirk Stefan Beljaarts (Dutch: [ˈdɪr(ə)ɡ ˈbɛljaːrts];[1] born 8 February 1978) is a Dutch hotelier, lobbyist, and politician of the right-wing populist Party for Freedom (PVV). He has served as Minister of Economic Affairs in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024.[2]
Early life and hospitality career
[edit]Beljaarts was born in Roosendaal, and he studied at the Maastricht Hotel Management School.[3][4] He became hotel manager of the Loosdrecht location of the Golden Tulip chain in 2007. He later headed several more Golden Tulip locations in the Netherlands and Germany as well as the Amsterdam art'otel and Novotel.[5]
Starting in 2019, he served as general director of Royal Hospitality Netherlands (KHN), a trade association of the hospitality industry.[5] When the sector was impacted by measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic such as lockdowns, Beljaarts called them disproportionate.[6]
A subsidiary bookkeeping firm offering services to hospitality businesses was established under his leadership, and Beljaarts served as co-director. After its bankruptcy in May 2023, the trustee announced an investigation into charges for unperformed services. During his cabinet confirmation hearing, Beljaarts declared that he had been a non-executive director until January 2023 and that a criminal complaint had only been filed against the other co-director.[7][6] Beljaarts announced in early 2024 that he would vacate his position at KHN.[3] de Volkskrant later reported that the association's members council had asked him to resign, partly because of the bankruptcy.[6] Beljaarts held secondary positions as member of the Social and Economic Council starting in 2019 and as member of the Frans Hals Museum's advisory board.[3][8]
Minister of Economic Affairs
[edit]After the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB formed the Schoof cabinet, Beljaarts was sworn in as Minister of Economic Affairs on 2 July 2024. Climate policy was simultaneously spun off from the ministry into the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth.[3][9] Following a request from PostNL, Beljaarts announced a bill to extend the maximum delivery time for personal mail from 24 to 48 hours, with the exception of medical and condolence mail. Due to significant opposition in the House of Representatives, he promised to postpone legislation until after an investigation by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).[10]
Beljaarts championed efforts to expand the semiconductor industry in the European Union (EU), as the Netherlands already housed photolithography machine producer ASML. He argued that moving the last part of the industry's value chain from China to Europe would increase supply chain resilience.[11]
Personal life
[edit]Beljaarts has a Hungarian mother, and he initiated a procedure to renounce his Hungarian citizenship upon his ministerial appointment. He was a honorary consul of the country between 2015 and 2024.[3][5][12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Economieminister Beljaarts: 'We hebben ons sufgereguleerd'". YouTube. BNR. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ "D.S. (Dirk) Beljaarts". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Horeca-voorman Dirk Beljaarts richt zich voor de PVV op de economie" [Hospitality leader Dirk Beljaarts will focus on the economy for the PVV]. NOS (in Dutch). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ "Alle ministers nieuwe kabinet bekend: dit zijn ze en dit is hun ervaring" [All ministers of the new cabinet known: These are all of them with their experience]. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Derix, Steven; Van den Dool, Pim; Stokmans, Derk; Vermeer, Oscar; Klumpenaar, Sjoerd; König, Eppo; Pelgrim, Christiaan; Bouwman, Boris (13 June 2024). "Van diplomaat tot Boer zoekt Vrouw-kandidaat: dit zijn de beoogde ministers van het kabinet-Schoof" [From diplomat to Farmer Wants Wife contender: These are the ministers-designate of the Schoof cabinet]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Du Pré, Raoul (24 June 2024). "Beljaarts voorziet geen hindernissen voor ministerschap: 'Ik zit hier met een schoon geweten'" [Beljaarts does not foresee issues for his ministerial position: 'I am sitting here with a clear conscience']. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ De Horde, Cor (24 June 2024). "Beljaarts noemt ophef rond faillissement 'storm in glas water'" [Beljaarts calls controversy about bankruptcy a 'storm in a teacup']. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Beljaarts als eerste aan de beurt" [Beljaarts kicks off hearings]. NU.nl (in Dutch). 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Ministers en staatssecretarissen kabinet-Schoof beëdigd" [Ministers and state secretaries of Schoof cabinet sworn in]. NOS (in Dutch). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ De Jongh, Hans (9 October 2024). "Minister wil onderzoek naar 'betere bescherming' zakelijke postmarkt" [Minister wants to investigate 'better protection' business postal market]. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ Schiffers, Mathijs (5 December 2024). "PVV-minister Beljaarts wil niet alleen maar klagen over Europa" [PVV minister Beljaarts does not only want to complain about Europe]. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Beljaarts doet afstand van Hongaarse nationaliteit" [Beljaarts renounces Hungarian citizenship]. NOS (in Dutch). 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
