The Netherlands pursues its foreign policy largely within the framework of multilateral organisations, such as the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).It takes part regularly in the peace operations of these organisations. The Netherlands also seeks to maintain good bilateral relations with its neighbouring countries, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian countries, the Benelux partners Belgium and Luxembourg, and the other EU and NATO member states.In addition, the Netherlands has strong ties with the USA and is helping the countries of central and eastern Europe make the transition to democracy and the market economy.
Global interests
The Netherlands was a founding member of the UN, NATO, the European Communities (now the European Union), the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the West European Union. As a relatively small country with a globally-oriented economy, the Netherlands attaches great importance to a well-structured world order. This has been the case for several centuries. The Dutchman Hugo de Groot, also known as Grotius, laid the foundations of modern international law in his 17th-century treatises Mare liberum (“Freedom of the seas”) and De Jure Belli ac Pacis (“On the law of war and peace”). In the modern world, many problems, such as those of the environment, can be solved increasingly only on a global scale.
But self-interest is not the only reason why the Netherlands is so active in promoting the international legal order and developing international law. It is also eager to promote values such as democracy and human rights, to which Dutch society attaches great importance. The Netherlands hosted the first world peace conferences, held in The Hague in 1899 and 1907. It is also home to many international organisations, including the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the International Criminal Court.
In addition, the Netherlands seeks to strengthen the role of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in preventing conflict, keeping peace and protecting human rights. The OSCE, established in 1995, evolved from the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe which was set up in 1975 to bring together the Cold War rivals of ‘east’ and ‘west’. In 2003, the Netherlands held the chairmanship of the OSCE. An important OSCE official, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, is based in The Hague.
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
The Netherlands is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the military alliance that comprises the USA, Canada and many European countries. NATO, the cornerstone of Dutch security policy, has been working for peace, security and stability since 1949. Since the end of the Cold War, NATO has adapted to the changes in international relations by concluding partnership agreements with countries in central and eastern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. NATO also cooperates more closely with Russia in the NATO-Russia Council, which was established in 2002, and has a special relationship with Ukraine via the NATO-Ukraine Commission.
A number of central and eastern European countries recently joined NATO, which now has 26 member states, and further enlargement is expected in the future. In the new security situation, NATO has taken on new tasks in peace operations, humanitarian aid and assisting countries in reforming their armed forces. Major peace operations are currently being carried out in Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and the Balkan.
Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, NATO has also focused more urgently on the war against terrorism. This has resulted, for example, in Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean, in which vessels are monitored for possible involvement in terrorist activity.
European Security and Defence Policy
The EU, now with 25 member states, is the most important pillar of Dutch foreign policy. The EU is active in many policy fields, including the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). The ESDP is part of the broader Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) which resulted from the wish for closer collaboration on foreign affairs at EU level. Plans for a European security and defence policy were announced at the 1999 Cologne European Council in recognition of the importance of developing a European capability for autonomous action, as underscored by the Balkan crisis.
Now, the international war against terrorism also demands closer cooperation at European level. The first operations launched in 2003 were: Concordia in Macedonia, the European Union Police Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina and ARTEMIS in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, there have been new missions, both civil and military, in Macedonia, Georgia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Atjeh, the Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Iraq and Ukraine. On 2 December 2004, the European Union took over the NATO-led operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina with its own mission EUFOR ALTHEA. It is currently the only military mission under EU command.
The Netherlands and the EU
The first step in building the European Union came in 1952, with the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), later the European Economic Community (EEC). The name European Union (EU) has been used since the Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993. The European Union was enlarged in 2004 and now has 25 member states.
As a founding member of the ECSC, the Netherlands has played an important part in promoting EU integration and in pioneering closer European ties. As a small country, it has much to gain from an overarching legal order. An organisation such as the EU, driven by common, rather than national interests, offers smaller countries protection.
The Dutch economy, strongly geared to exports, has benefited hugely from EU membership. Dutch agricultural and manufacturing goods now reach their European customers much more easily. Three-quarters of Dutch exports go to other EU member states. The Netherlands is the EU’s second biggest agricultural exporter after France.
EU enlargement
The Netherlands still believes strongly in the benefits of further strengthening and deepening European cooperation and regards the EU as a framework for stability, democracy and sustainable prosperity. It will continue to contribute to European cooperation, as it regards European integration as essential to peace, freedom and security. As such, it is a powerful instrument for promoting a stable environment.
On 1 May 2004, the European Union welcomed ten new member states. This historic event put an end to the division of Europe, which dominated European relations in the Cold War. But although enlargement is historically important, the Netherlands believes that it must not weaken the EU.
The fairly recent accession of ten new member states and the possible accession of Romania and Bulgaria in the short term have prompted a rethink of the future of the EU.
In the European Convention on the Future of Europe, the Netherlands campaigned for the administrative reform of the European Union. In June 2003, the Convention presented a draft EU constitution to make the Union more democratic and transparent and to deepen and strengthen the European institutions. The draft constitution was signed by the heads of state and government of the member states on 29 October 2004.
Following a referendum on 1 June 2024 in which a majority of Dutch voters voted against the EU Constitution, the Netherlands officially rejected the Constitution. It has not been adopted by a number of other member states either.
New neighbours and other priorities
European cooperation continues to be an important topic on the Dutch foreign affairs agenda. A list of priorities has been drawn up with the aim of spreading peace, freedom and security. One of the Dutch government’s priorities is to strengthen EU external policy. In the next few years, the enlarged EU will seek closer relations with the countries on its periphery: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, the Balkan countries and the countries around the Mediterranean Sea.
Many transnational issues are being tackled at European level, from fighting terrorism and crime to environmental problems, asylum and migration. Socioeconomic cooperation to stimulate economic growth and employment is vital for the Dutch economy.
The EU has already achieved a great deal: it has introduced the euro and gained ten new member states. The focus of the Netherlands will be to keep these and other changes on the right track.
Development cooperation
Development policy is an important part of Dutch foreign policy. It is the responsibility of the Minister for Development Cooperation, based at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Most of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ budget goes on development cooperation: development spending is fixed at 0.8% of gross national product, amounting to more than 4 billion euros.
This percentage is set internationally, but the Netherlands is one of the few countries that actually delivers. This makes the Netherlands a major donor of aid. The Netherlands also scores higher than the OECD average on the various policy fields of development cooperation.
Poverty reduction
Poverty reduction and sustainable development are central to Dutch development policy, which is inspired by the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) drawn up in 2000 and endorsed by all heads of government at the UN World Summit in September 2005. The five priorities of Dutch development policy – education, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health care, the environment and water – are a substantial contribution to the realisation of the MDGs.
The Netherlands closely monitors the quality and effectiveness of aid projects. Regular evaluations measure the impact of aid and allow policy to be adjusted or improved where necessary. This helps to raise the quality and effectiveness of Dutch aid. The Dutch government attaches great importance to making the effects of development cooperation visible; it therefore renders account to both parliament and the public by publishing the results of its policies.
