July 1997: project decision: Space Shortage in Mainport Rotterdam 
The decision-making process began in 1997. On 14 July 1997, the government decided in favour of the project decision “Space Shortage in Mainport Rotterdam”. In opting for this project decision, the government recognised that finding space for the Port of Rotterdam to expand would be advantageous and necessary. At the same time, the quality of the living environment in and around the port would have to improve. For conducting additional research into this double objective and creating project activities to realise it, the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project (PMR) was established. 

May 1998: preliminary memorandum: Key Planning Decision Plus (PKB+) 
The preliminary memorandum: Key Planning Decision Plus / Environmental Impact Statement (PKB+/MER) for Rotterdam Mainport Development includes:
  - the project objectives and approach 
  - the decision-making procedures and democratic controls to be employed 
The preliminary memorandum also marked the start of an environmental impact statement dedicated to how the project would impact the natural environment and its biodiversity. 

May 2001: Key Planning Decision Plus and Environmental Impact Statement 
The government issued the Key Planning Decision Plus (PKB+), Part 1 for Rotterdam Mainport Development and the accompanying environmental impact statement (MER) that included proposals for enlarging the Port of Rotterdam and improving the quality of the living environment in Rijnmond (the “double objective”). These goals must be accomplished by such means as creating new nature conservation areas, combating noise and harmful emissions and discharges, and creating a better living environment in the residential areas around the port. 

November 2001: Key Planning Decision Plus, Part 2 
For two months following the publication of Part 1 of the Key Planning Decision Plus for the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project (PKB+ PMR) and its corresponding environmental impact statement, everyone could react to the reports. In November 2001, the government issued Part 2 of the PKB+ PMR. This part contained the results of public inquiry, administrative coordination discussions between government bodies, and legal advice in regard to the proposals that the government presented in Part 1 of the PKB+ and its environmental impact statement. 

December 2001: Key Planning Decision Plus, Part 3 
The government issued Part 3 of the Key Planning Decision Plus for the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project (PKB+ PMR). This part contained the government’s standpoint regarding the project and an explanatory memorandum about how the government had dealt with the results of public inquiry, advice, discussions, and supplementary research. 

September 2003: Key Planning Decision Plus, Part 4 
On 29 September, the government issued Part 4 of the Key Planning Decision Plus (PKB+) for the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project. Part 4 of the PKB+ includes, among other things, the establishment of the provisional decision in favour of constructing Maasvlakte 2, including all the requirements and conditions that the land reclamation would have to satisfy. An appeal against the ‘specific policy decisions’ included in Part 4 of the PKB+ PMR could be lodged with the Council of State. 

November 2003: Appeal 
Government agencies, representatives, companies and people living in the vicinity lodged 18 appeals with the Council of State expressing their objections to elements in the Key Planning Decision Plus (PKB+). 

June 2004: Administrative Agreement on financing 
On 25 June 2004, the parties involved in the PMR reached an Administrative Agreement about the financing of the PMR projects. This Administrative Agreement outlines the agreements between the national government and its regional partners about the financing and implementation of the subprojects. It was agreed that the regional partners would bear the responsibility for implementing the subprojects. These agreements were then elaborated in the form of so-called Detailed Agreements. 

January 2005: Council of State rules
On 26 January 2005, the Council of State ruled that a number of objections to specific policy decisions in the PKB+ were valid. Due to the many interrelationships among the decisions, the Council of State voided all the policy decisions in the PKB+. Because going through the entire procedure again would seriously delay the project and lose the existing support for its implementation, the project partners decided to amend the PKB starting from the government’s decision (PKB, Part 3). 
►Read the news reports PKB not struck in the core and Port of Rotterdam Authority studies Council of State pronouncement for more information on this matter.

September 2005: Signing of the Detailed Agreements 
On 2 September 2005, the national government, the Municipality of Rotterdam, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority were among the parties that signed the three Detailed Agreements for financing and implementing the three subprojects included in the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project (PMR): 
   - land reclamation
   - 750 hectares dedicated to nature conservation and recreation purposes  
   - projects to improve the quality of life and intensify the use of land in the existing Rotterdam area. 
►Read the news report Port of Rotterdam Authority quite content with agreements with the State for more information on this matter.

2005/2006: Amending the PKB+ 
For the future the project partners decided to amend the PKB+ by eliminating the specific policy decisions. The amended PKB devotes substantial attention to the deficiencies cited by the Council of State. The impacts of land reclamation on protected areas in the Wadden Sea, which according to the ruling had been insufficiently represented, were examined in greater detail and found not to be objectionable. The interests of certain (agricultural) businesses were also brought into focus. Certain technical legal objections found in the original formulations were solved in amending the PKB+. The amended PKB also addressed current developments such as the required protection of air quality. More information about this is found in amending the PKB+. 
►Read the news rapport New route for remedied PKB Rotterdam Mainport Development Project for more information on this matter.  

June 2006: Strategic Environmental Assessment 
Along with the amended PKB rules now also prescribed a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SMB) and an Appropriate Assessment (PB) for Land Reclamation. A Strategic Environmental Assessment is a report that provides a general description of the environmental impacts of a PKB. The Appropriate Assessment for Land Reclamation describes the impact of land reclamation on special marine protected areas: the “Voordelta” and the Wadden Sea. These reports had to be made following new European directives (adopted in 2004). In 2006, public inquiry was made possible in regard to the SMB and PB for Land Reclamation. 

October 2006: Lower House approval 
On 10 October 2006, the Lower House issued its final approval to implementation of the Rotterdam Mainport Development Plan (PMR). In doing so, they also approved the previously made agreements in the Administrative Agreement (2004) and the Detailed Agreements for the three PMR subprojects. 
►Read the news report Lower House approves amended PKB Part 3 (2006) for more information on this matter.

November 2006: Green light for the PKB PMR 
On 20 November, the Upper House approved the implementation of the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project (PMR) and thus gave the go-ahead for the Key Planning Decision for the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project (PKB PMR 2006). Much of the PKB PMR 2006 is the same as the PKB+ PMR dating from September 2003. Also the specific policy decisions from the original PKB remained largely unchanged. However, they are no longer policy decisions but “decisions of essential importance”. In other words, these decisions may be important but, unlike specific policy decisions, they are not binding for lower governments. 
►Read the news report Key Planning Decision for PMR officially adopted for more information on this matter.

February 2007: Completion of the Environmental Impact Statement 
Environmental Impact Statements (MER) have been made for the purpose of planning and permits: MER A for construction and MER B for land use. In addition, the so-called “habitat studies” specifically address the impact on protected species and establish the extent of environmental compensation required. Together, these amount to very lengthy reports with many appendices. Now that the Environmental Impact Statements for Construction and Land Use regarding Maasvlakte 2 are finished the zoning plan will be addressed. 
►Read the news report Maasvlakte 2: EIAs concluded, permit applications submitted for more information on this matter.

April 2007: Rotterdam approves Maasvlakte 2
The Rotterdam municipal council has approved the preliminary plans for Maasvlakte 2. The council adopted the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the design for the zoning plan with a large majority. 

April/May 2007: Consulting the public 
Between April 20 and May 31 several documents concerning Maasvlakte 2 are open to public inspection. Amongst these documents are the Environmental Impact Assessments, applications for licences and permissions, and a new zoning plan for the area. 

6 December 2007: Positive advice from Commission for EIA
The independent Commission for EIA has concluded that the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Maasvlakte 2 project gives a good picture of the environmental effects of the construction and operation of the port expansion. According to the Commission’s assessment, the operation of Maasvlakte 2 will not result in a decline in air quality, as sufficient compensatory measures will be taken to prevent this. The Commission for EIA presented this positive review to the competent authorities: the Dutch Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management and the Rotterdam municipal council.

January/February 2008: Consulting the public
Between January 4 and February 15 once again several documents concerning Maasvlakte 2 are open to public inspection.

More information 
All the reports referred to on this page are included in the Knowledge Bank (Kennisbank) under decision making and reports. Note that most reports are Dutch only. More detailed information about the decision-making process, project history, allocation of duties, etc. can be found on the website of the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project (PMR) (Dutch only).