Gov Shapiro and First Lady Shapiro Welcome the King and Queen of the Netherlands | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA - Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro welcomed His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Philadelphia during their working visit to the United States - touring Independence Hall, visiting the Liberty Bell, and convening a roundtable with the CEOs of Dutch multinational businesses to encourage them to increase investment in Pennsylvania.

During their visit, the Governor, First Lady, and Their Majesties highlighted the long-standing relationship between Pennsylvania and the Netherlands, dating back to the Commonwealth's founding in 1681, while underscoring shared economic ties ahead of America's 250th anniversary.

"We're honored to welcome Their Majesties to the Commonwealth as we celebrate the historic friendship between Pennsylvania and the Netherlands," said Governor Shapiro. "For centuries, our people have benefitted from this productive relationship and my Administration looks forward to strengthening those ties and our shared commitment to economic opportunity and innovation."

In 2025, trade between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Pennsylvania totaled $3.7 billion, up 17 percent from 2024, including more than $1.6 billion in total trade of pharmaceutical products, a growing and robust partnership in life sciences. With this growth in trade, the Netherlands sits as Pennsylvania's sixth largest international job creator and 16th largest trading partner.

Following the tour of Independence Hall, the Governor and First Lady and Their Majesties joined Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding at the Cira Centre for a roundtable discussion with CEOs of Dutch multinational businesses to discuss the economic ties between the Commonwealth and the Netherlands, and opportunities for further investment in Pennsylvania.

At the Cira Centre, DCED Secretary Siger and Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma signed a Letter of Understanding, laying out a roadmap for future economic collaboration specifically focused on advanced manufacturing and robotics, life sciences, agriculture, sports, and academia.

"The Netherlands is one of the largest foreign investors in the United States with a very strong presence in Pennsylvania," said DCED Secretary Siger. "The Shapiro Administration is working to build that relationship further by making it easier to do business in the Commonwealth and creating an attractive ecosystem for companies in life sciences, agriculture, tech, and advanced manufacturing. Our Authorized Investment Representatives based in the Netherlands and other strategic markets are ready to work with businesses to explore new investment opportunities here in Pennsylvania and eliminate the barriers companies may encounter entering a new foreign market."

"Our partnership with the Netherlands is rooted in a shared vision for the future of agriculture - one driven by innovation, sustainability, and the ability to feed communities at home and around the world," said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. "The Dutch are global leaders in agricultural technology and greenhouse production, demonstrating how agriculture can nourish people and strengthen our economies. That spirit resonates here in Pennsylvania, where farmers are embracing innovation that carries forward a proud agricultural legacy. Our Dutch partnership will be on full display in September as we host the GreenTech North America conference together, reinforcing our commitment to a more resilient future."

While the Netherlands has emerged as a major European life sciences and pharmaceutical hub, Pennsylvania has also grown into a national life sciences powerhouse, employing more than 100,000 people across 3,100 companies.

Building on this shared success, after the roundtable, Dutch VB Greenhouses BV and US Little Leaf Farms PA LLC signed a contract with the intent to build a commercial greenhouse facility in Banks Township, PA and extend the company's Pennsylvania campus into the largest indoor leafy greens campus in the world.

Growing Pennsylvania's Economy

Governor Shapiro's 2026-27 budget proposal builds on Pennsylvania's economic momentum by investing in long-term growth and ensuring communities across the Commonwealth can compete and win. This budget increases funding for innovation in Pennsylvania's 10-year Economic Development Strategy, including the life sciences, robotics and technology, energy, manufacturing, and agriculture industries.

• The PA First Program, which connects businesses with trained workers and supports job retention and capital investments, will receive an additional $10 million for a total of $38 million in this budget.

• This budget also creates the Innovate in PA 2.0 program to deploy nearly $100 million into the state's innovation economy, providing capital for promising startups - following in the footsteps of companies like Gecko Robotics in Pittsburgh or Gilson Snow in Selinsgrove - to fund clinical trials for the life sciences and enhance the Commonwealth's innovation network to help these companies succeed.

Pennsylvania's Business Climate and Growing Economy is Earning National Recognition

Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has made Pennsylvania more competitive - attracting over $41 billion in private-sector investment while creating nearly 23,000 good-paying jobs across the Commonwealth and earning national recognition.

• Pennsylvania is the only state in the Northeast with a growing economy, based on analysis done by Moody's Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi.

• Last year, according to a new analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Commonwealth ranked third in the nation for job growth.

• Area Development ranked Pennsylvania among the top 20 "Best States for Business" - the only Northeastern state to make the list - and placed the Commonwealth in the top 10 for "Site Readiness Programs."

• Site Selection Magazine named Pennsylvania one of the top business climates in the nation.

Welcoming the World to Pennsylvania in 2026

Pennsylvania is primed to once again be in the national spotlight in 2026 as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia and host major events throughout the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth will leverage global sporting and cultural moments, including the NFL Draft, the PGA Championship, the FIFA World Cup, America250PA, and the MLB All-Star Game, to drive interest in Pennsylvania, encourage visitors to come back for future trips, and spur statewide economic impact. As part of the FIFA World Cup, Curacao - one of the four countries that make up the Kingdom of the Netherlands - will play its final Group Stage game against the Ivory Coast in Philadelphia on June 25, 2026.

These events will be huge tourism and economic development opportunities for the Commonwealth, as millions of people prepare to visit Pennsylvania. Over the last three years, Governor Shapiro has rebranded Pennsylvania as the "Great American Getaway" and increased funding for Visit PA to nearly $60 million.

To build on that momentum and prepare for America250, the Shapiro Administration secured $57.5 million in the last two budgets specifically for the 2026 celebration. The Governor's 2026-2027 proposed budget continues to fully fund the Tourism Office to ensure that Pennsylvania obtains the maximum benefit from the events celebrating America's 250th anniversary.

Under the Shapiro Administration's leadership, Pennsylvania's tourism industry has grown by $7 billion and 30,000 jobs. In 2024, tourism brought in $84 billion to Pennsylvania's economy and supported more than half a million jobs.

Learn more about the Shapiro Administration's efforts to support Pennsylvania's workers and businesses and spur the economy, to build a stronger, more competitive economy for all Pennsylvanians.