The foreign policy of the Netherlands is based on four basic commitments: to the Atlantic cooperation, to European integration, to international development and to international law. While historically the Kingdom of the Netherlands was a neutral state, since 1945 it has become a member of NATO, the United Nations, the European Union and many other international organizations. The Dutch economy is very open and relies on international trade. During and after the 17th century—its Golden Age—the Dutch built up a commercial and colonial empire. It was a leading shipping and naval power and was often at war with England, its main rival. Its main colonial holding was Indonesia, which fought for and achieved independence after 1945. The historical ties inherited from its colonial past still influence the foreign relations of the Netherlands. Foreign trade policy is handled by the European Union. The Dutch have been active in international peacekeeping roles.
The Ministry of General Affairs is the Dutch Ministry responsible for government policy, planning, information, and the Dutch royal house. The Ministry was created in 1937 and dissolved in 1945, but in 1947 it was reinstated by Prime Minister Louis Beel. The Ministry remained small until 1967, when it was greatly expanded by Prime Minister Piet de Jong. Since his premiership the Ministry has continued to expand to the present day. The Minister of General Affairs is the head of the Ministry who is also Prime Minister and a member of the Cabinet of the Netherlands. The current Minister and Prime Minister is Dick Schoof.
The Ministry of Justice and Security is the Dutch ministry responsible for justice, imprisonment and public security. The ministry was created in 1798 as the Department of Justice, before it became in 1876 the Ministry of Justice. In 2010, it took over the public safety duties from the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and became Ministry of Security and Justice. In 2017 the ministry was renamed to Ministry of Justice and Security. The ministry is headed by the Minister of Justice and Security, David van Weel (NSC) since 2 July 2024.
The Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael or Clingendael Institute is a Dutch think tank and academy on international relations. Based in Wassenaar on the municipal border with The Hague, the institute also publishes Clingendael Magazine 'Spectator', an online monthly on international politics. As of 2012, the institute is organised into two departments: Clingendael Research and Clingendael Academy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Netherlands' ministry responsible for foreign relations, foreign policy, international development, international trade, diaspora and matters dealing with the European Union, NATO and the Benelux Union. The ministry was created in 1798, as the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Batavian Republic. In 1876, it became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Finance is the Dutch Ministry responsible for economic policy, monetary policy, fiscal policy, tax policy, incomes policy, financial regulation, the government budget and the financial market. The Ministry was created in 1798 as the Department of Finance of the Batavian Republic. It became the Ministry of Finance in 1876. The Minister of Finance is the head of the Ministry and a member of the Cabinet of the Netherlands. The current Minister is Eelco Heinen.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature is the Dutch Ministry responsible for agricultural policy, food policy, food safety, fisheries, forestry, natural conservation and animal welfare. The Ministry was created in 1935 and in 2010 the department was merged with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and was named the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. The Ministry was reinstated in 2017 as the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality; it is headed by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, a member of the Cabinet of the Netherlands. This post is currently occupied by Femke Wiersma of the Farmer–Citizen Movement. Despite its small size, the Netherlands is the worlds' second exporter of agricultural products, after the United States.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is the Dutch ministry responsible for social affairs, relations between employers and employees, social security, trade unions and emancipation. It was established in 1918 as the Ministry of Labour and had several name changes before it became the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment in 1981. The ministry is headed by the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, currently Eddy van Hijum of New Social Contract.
BZK or variant, may refer to:
A Dutch passport is an identity document issued to citizens of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the purpose of international travel. As the Netherlands only distinguish one category of citizen, for all countries in the Kingdom, passports are the same for all four countries. The passport also serves as a means of identification as required by the Dutch law since 1 January 2005 for all persons over the age of fourteen. Dutch passports are valid for a period of ten years from issuing date. The passport complies with the rules for European Union passports. Since 26 August 2006 all passports are issued as a biometric passport with an embedded contactless smartcard RFID chip for storing biometric data. Every Dutch citizen is also a citizen of the European Union. The nationality allows for free rights of movement and residence in any of the states of the European Union, European Economic Area, and Switzerland.
The FPS Interior, formerly the Ministry of the Interior, is a Federal Public Service of Belgium. It was created by Royal Order on 14 January 2002, as part of the plans of the Verhofstadt I Government to modernise the federal administration. The FPS Interior employs approximately 4,300 persons and is responsible for guaranteeing the rule of law, the registration and identification of natural persons, the immigration policy and for guaranteeing public order and safety.
The Council of Ministers of the Kingdom is the executive council of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is a state consisting of four constituent countries: Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten.
The Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba represents the constituent country of Aruba in the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The current Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba is Ady Thijsen. The Minister Plenipotentiary and his cabinet are seated in the Arubahuis in The Hague.
Hanke Gerdina Johannette Bruins Slot is a Dutch politician and military veteran who served as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations from 2022 to 2023, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2023 until 2024.
The Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao represents the constituent country of Curaçao in the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The current Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao is Carlson Manuel. The Minister Plenipotentiary and his cabinet are seated in the "Curaçaohuis" in The Hague.
The Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten represents the constituent country of Sint Maarten in the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The current Minister Plenipotentiary is Patrice Gumbs with Gracita Arrindell as the acting deputy.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs is the Netherlands' ministry responsible for international trade, commercial, industrial, investment, technology, space policy, as well as tourism.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is the Dutch Ministry responsible for transport, aviation, public works, land management and water resource management. The Ministry was created in 2010 as the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment following the merger of the Ministry of Transport and Water Management and the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment. In 2017, the Ministry was renamed the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the responsibilities for environmental policy and climate change policy were transferred to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
A minister plenipotentiary represents the government of one of the Caribbean constituent countries as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The minister is part of the government of that country, but resides in the Netherlands, where they are part of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
André Haspels is a Dutch diplomat currently serving as the Dutch Ambassador to China since 2023. He previously served as ambassador in Vietnam and South Africa and most recently as ambassador in the United States.
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