OFFICIAL NAME:
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Geography
Area: 41,526 sq. km. (16,485 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--Amsterdam (pop. 739,104). Other cities--The
Hague, seat of government (469,059); Rotterdam (598,923); Utrecht
(270,244).
Terrain: Coastal lowland.
Climate: Northern maritime.
People
Population: 16.3 million.
Nationality: Noun--Dutchmen and Dutchwomen. Adjective--Dutch.
Ethnic groups: Predominantly Dutch; largest minority communities are
Moroccans, Turks, Surinamese.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, other.
Language: Dutch.
Education: Years compulsory--10. Attendance--nearly
100%. Literacy--99%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--5.0/1,000. Life expectancy--78
yrs.
Work force (2003: 7.4 million): commercial services—46.3%;
non-commercial services—32.4%; industry—19.6%;
agriculture—1.7%.
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch.
Constitution: 1814 and 1848.
Branches: Executive--monarch (chief of state), prime minister
(head of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral
parliament (First and Second Chambers). Judicial--Supreme
Court.
Subdivisions: 12 provinces.
Political parties: Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Labor Party (PvdA),
Liberal Party (VVD), other minor parties.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (2004 est.): $591 billion.
GDP real growth rate (2004 est.): 1.3%.
GDP per capita (2004 est.): $36,236.
Natural resources: Natural gas, petroleum, fertile soil.
Agriculture (2.4% of GDP): Products--dairy, poultry, meat,
flower bulbs, cut flowers, vegetables and fruits, sugar beets,
potatoes, wheat, barley.
Industry (25% of GDP): Types--agro-industries, steel and
aluminum, metal and engineering products, electric machinery and
equipment, bulk chemicals, natural gas, petroleum products,
transport equipment, microelectronics.
Services (73% of GDP): Types--trade, hotels, restaurants,
transport, storage and communication, financial (banking and
insurance) and business services, care and other.
Trade (2004): Exports--$313 billion (f.o.b.): mineral fuels,
chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, processed food and
tobacco, agricultural products. Imports--$274 billion
(f.o.b.): mineral fuels and crude petroleum, machinery,
transportation equipment, consumer goods, foodstuffs. Major
trading partners in 2003 (exports/imports)--EU (76%/57%),
Germany (24%/20%), Belgium (12%/11%), U.K. (10%/7%), U.S. (4%/8%).
HISTORY
The Dutch are primarily of Germanic stock with some Gallo-Celtic
mixture. Their small homeland frequently has been threatened with
destruction by the North Sea and has often been invaded by the great
European powers.
Julius Caesar found the region which is now
the Netherlands inhabited by Germanic tribes in the first century
B.C. The western portion was inhabited by the Batavians and became
part of a Roman province; the eastern portion was inhabited by the
Frisians. Between the fourth and eighth centuries A.D., most of both
portions were conquered by the Franks. The area later passed into
the hands of the House of Burgundy and the Austrian Habsburgs.
Falling under harsh Spanish rule in the 16th century, the Dutch
revolted in 1558 under the leadership of Willem of Orange. By virtue
of the Union of Utrecht in 1579, the seven northern Dutch provinces
became the Republic of the United Netherlands.
During the 17th century, considered its
"golden era," the Netherlands became a great sea and colonial power.
Among other achievements, this period saw the emergence of some of
painting's "Old Masters," including Rembrandt and Hals, whose
works--along with those of later artists such as Mondriaan and Van
Gogh--are today on display in museums throughout the Netherlands and
the world.
The country's importance declined, however,
with the gradual loss of Dutch technological superiority and after
wars with Spain, France, and England in the 17th and 18th century.
The Dutch United Provinces supported the Americans in the
Revolutionary War. In 1795, French troops ousted Willem V of Orange,
the Stadhouder under the Dutch Republic and head of the House of
Orange.
Following Napoleon's defeat in 1815, the
Netherlands and Belgium became the "Kingdom of the United
Netherlands" under King Willem I, son of Willem V of Orange. The
Belgians withdrew from the union in 1830 to form their own kingdom.
King Willem II was largely responsible for the liberalizing revision
of the constitution in 1848.
The Netherlands prospered during the long
reign of Willem III (1849-90). At the time of his death, his
daughter Wilhelmina was 10 years old. Her mother, Queen Emma,
reigned as regent until 1898, when Wilhelmina reached the age of 18
and became the monarch.
The Netherlands proclaimed neutrality at
the start of both world wars. Although it escaped occupation in
World War I, German troops overran the country in May 1940. Queen
Wilhelmina fled to London and established a government-in-exile.
Shortly after the Netherlands was liberated in May 1945, the Queen
returned. Crown Princess Juliana acceded to the throne in 1948 upon
her mother's abdication. In April 1980, Queen Juliana abdicated in
favor of her daughter, now Queen Beatrix. Crown Prince Willem
Alexander was born in 1967.
Elements of the Netherlands' once far-flung
empire were granted either full independence or nearly complete
autonomy after World War II. Indonesia formally gained its
independence in 1949, and Suriname became independent in 1975. The
five islands of the Netherlands Antilles (Curacao, Bonaire, Saba,
St. Eustatius, and a part of St. Maarten) and Aruba are integral
parts of the Netherlands realm but enjoy a large degree of autonomy.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The present constitution--which dates from 1848 and has been amended
several times, most recently in 1983--protects individual and
political freedoms, including freedom of religion. Although church
and state are separate, a few historical ties remain; the royal
family belongs to the Dutch Reformed Church (Protestant). Freedom of
speech also is protected.
Government Structure
The country's government is based on the principles of
ministerial responsibility and parliamentary government. The
national government comprises three main institutions: the Monarch,
the Council of Ministers, and the States General. There also are
local governments.
The Monarch. The monarch is the
titular head of state. The Queen's function is largely ceremonial,
but she does have some influence deriving from the traditional
veneration of the House of Orange, from which Dutch monarchs for
more than three centuries have descended. Her influence also derives
from her personal qualities as Queen and her power to appoint the "formateur,"
who forms the Council of Ministers following elections.
The Council of Ministers plans and
implements government policy. The Monarch and the Council of
Ministers together are called the Crown. Most ministers also head
government ministries, although ministers-without-portfolio exist.
The ministers, collectively and individually, are responsible to the
States General (parliament). Unlike the British system, Dutch
ministers cannot simultaneously be members of parliament.
The Council of State is a constitutionally
established advisory body to the government that consists of members
of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having
political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience. The
Council of State must be consulted by the cabinet on proposed
legislation before a law is submitted to the parliament. The Council
of State also serves as a channel of appeal for citizens against
executive branch decisions.
States General (parliament). The
Dutch parliament consists of two houses, the First Chamber and the
Second Chamber. Historically, Dutch governments have been based on
the support of a majority in both houses of parliament. The Second
Chamber is by far the more important of the two houses. It alone has
the right to initiate legislation and amend bills submitted by the
Council of Ministers. It shares with the First Chamber the right to
question ministers and state secretaries.
The Second Chamber consists of 150 members,
elected directly for a 4-year term--unless the government falls
prematurely--on the basis of a nationwide system of proportional
representation. This system means that members represent the whole
country--rather than individual districts as in the United
States--and are normally elected on a party slate, not on a personal
basis. There is no threshold for small-party representation.
Campaigns are relatively short, lasting usually about a month, and
the election budgets of each party tend to be less than $1 million.
The electoral system makes a coalition government almost inevitable.
The last election of the Second Chamber was in January 2003.
The First Chamber is composed of 75 members
elected for 4-year terms by the 12 provincial legislatures. It
cannot initiate or amend legislation, but its approval of bills
passed by the Second Chamber is required before bills become law.
The First Chamber generally meets only once a week, and its members
usually have other full-time jobs. The current First Chamber was
elected following provincial elections in May 2003.
Courts. The judiciary comprises 62
cantonal courts, 19 district courts, five courts of appeal, and a
Supreme Court that has 24 justices. All judicial appointments are
made by the Crown. Judges nominally are appointed for life but
actually are retired at age 70.
Local government. The first-level
administrative divisions are the 12 provinces, each governed by a
locally elected provincial council and a provincial executive
appointed by members of the provincial council. The province is
formally headed by a queen's commissioner appointed by the Crown.
Current Government. The current
government, formed in May 2003, is a coalition of the center-right
Christian Democratic (CDA), conservative Liberal (VVD) and
left-of-center Liberal Democrats 66 (D66) parties headed by CDA
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. The coalition parties hold 78
of the 150 seats in the Second Chamber of Parliament. The opposition
includes the Labor (PvdA) party with 42 seats and 5 other parties,
each with less than 10 seats. Given the consensus-based nature of
the Dutch Government, elections do not usually result in any drastic
change in foreign or domestic policy. Descriptions of the four main
parties follow.
The Christian Democratic Appeal was formed
from the merger of the Catholic People's Party and two Protestant
parties, the Anti-Revolutionary Party and the Christian-Historical
Union. The merger process, begun in the early 1970s to try to stem
the tide of losses suffered by religiously based parties, was
completed in 1980. The CDA supports free enterprise and holds to the
principle that government activity should supplement but not
supplant communal action by citizens. On the political spectrum, the
CDA sees its philosophy as standing between the "individualism" of
the Liberals and the "statism" of the Labor Party. CDA has 44 seats
in the current Second Chamber, more than any other party.
The Labor Party (PvdA), a classic European
Social Democratic party, is left of center. It currently has 42
seats in the Second Chamber. Labor's program is based on greater
social, political, and economic equality for all citizens, although
in recent years the party has begun to debate the role of central
government in that process. Although called the Labor Party, it has
no formal links to the trade unions.
The Liberal Party is "liberal" in the
European, rather than American, sense of the word. It thus attaches
great importance to private enterprise and the freedom of the
individual in political, social, and economic affairs. The VVD is
generally seen as the most conservative of the major parties. It
currently has 28 seats in the Second Chamber. The VVD has previously
been the junior partner in two governing coalitions with the CDA
from 1982-89.
The Liberal Democrats 66 (D66) party was
founded in 1966 primarily for the purpose of promoting a drastic
reform of the rigid, antiquated Dutch political system. Political
reform still is its principal driving force. The party’s electoral
fortunes have fluctuated widely. For a long time, its success was
closely tied to the popularity of D66 founder, leader and former
Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo, who retired in 1998. Since then,
the party steadily lost electoral support. In January 2003
elections, it only won six seats. Despite its relatively small size,
D66 has invariably been a reliable, intellectually sound partner in
successive coalition governments. D66 is a staunch advocate of a
strong European Union, although it also subscribes to the importance
of NATO and the transatlantic relationship in Dutch foreign policy.
Domestic Drug Policy
Despite intensified efforts by the Dutch Government to combat
production of and trafficking in narcotic drugs, the Netherlands
continues to be a significant transit point for drugs entering
Europe (especially cocaine), an important producer and exporter of
synthetic drugs, notably MDMA (Ecstasy), and an important consumer
of most illicit drugs. U.S. law enforcement information indicates
the Netherlands still is by far the most significant source country
for Ecstasy in the U.S. The Dutch prosecutor’s office reported in
2004, however, that the number of Ecstasy tablets seized in the U.S.
linked to the Netherlands dropped to 1 million in 2003 from 2.5
million in 2002. According to the interagency law enforcement Unit
Synthetic Drugs (USD), 2003 synthetic drug seizures around the world
related to the Netherlands involved almost 13 million MDMA tablets
(2002: 24.6 million), and more than 871 kilos (2002: 910 kilos) of
MDMA powder and paste. MDMA (powder and paste) seizures in the
Netherlands in 2003 dropped to 435 kilos, about 50% less than in
2002, and the number of Ecstasy tablets seized dropped 20% to about
5.4 million. The Dutch government has made measurable progress in
implementing the five-year strategy (2002-2006) against production,
trade, and consumption of synthetic drugs.
The Dutch Opium Act punishes possession,
commercial distribution, production, import, and export of all
illicit drugs. Drug use, however, is not an offense. The act
distinguishes between "hard" drugs that have "unacceptable" risks
(e.g., heroin, cocaine, Ecstasy) and "soft" drugs (cannabis
products). One of the main aims of this policy is to separate the
markets for soft and hard drugs so that soft drug users are less
likely to come into contact with hard drugs. The sale of a small
quantity (under five grams) of soft drugs in "coffeeshops" is
tolerated, albeit under strict conditions and controls. The United
States continues to disagree with this aspect of Dutch drug policy.
Overall, the Health Ministry coordinates drug policy, while the
Ministry of Justice is responsible for law enforcement. Matters
relating to local government and the police are the responsibility
of the Ministry of Interior. At the municipal level, policy is
coordinated in tripartite consultations among the mayor, the chief
public prosecutor, and the police.
The Netherlands has a wide variety of
demand-reduction and "harm"-reduction programs reaching about 80% of
the country’s 26,000-30,000 opiate addicts. The number of opiate
addicts has stabilized over the past few years, with the average age
rising to 40, and the number of overdose deaths related to opiates
stabilizing at between 30 and 50 per year.
Counterterrorism/Homeland Security
The Netherlands supports the global coalition against terrorism
with leadership, personnel and material, including the deployment of
troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Prime Minister stated the U.S.
and his country stand "shoulder to shoulder" in the struggle for
global security. The Netherlands is a party to all 12 UN
counterterrorism conventions.
The Government made counterterrorism a
priority issue for its EU presidency during the second half of 2004.
In August 2004, the Act on Terrorist Crimes, implementing the 2002
EU framework decision on combating terrorism, became effective. The
Act makes recruitment for the Jihad and conspiracy with the aim of
committing a serious terrorist crime separate criminal offenses. In
June 2004, the Dutch for the first time successfully convicted two
individuals of terrorist activity allowing use of intelligence of
the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) as evidence. In
2004, the Government created a National Counterterrorism
Coordinator’s Office to streamline and enhance
Dutch counterterrorism efforts. The Dutch have taken a leading role,
particularly in the European Union, to establish financial protocols
to combat terrorism. They have also donated to the IMF to provide
assistance to countries that lack the wherewithal to implement some
of these measures immediately. They have taken steps to freeze the
assets of individuals and groups included on the UNSCR 1267
Sanctions Committee’s consolidated list.
The Netherlands is an active participant in
the Container Security Initiative at Rotterdam, one of Europe’s
busiest ports. The Dutch have also installed radiological portal
monitors at Rotterdam, in partnership with the Department of
Energy’s Megaport/Second Line of Defense initiative. The government
also permitted U.S. CBP Immigration Liaison Officers to return to
Schiphol Airport to assist with US-bound passenger screening (the
program is now known as the Immigration Assistance Program). In
January 2005, the U.S and Netherlands agreed to develop an
International Registered Travelers program to facilitate travel
between Schiphol Airport and JFK.
Principal Government Officials
Head of State--Queen Beatrix
Prime Minister--Jan Peter Balkenende
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance--Gerrit Zalm
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs--Laurens Jan
Brinkhorst
Foreign Minister--Ben Bot
Defense Minister--Henk Kamp
Ambassador to the United States--Boudewijn Johannes van Eenennaam
Ambassador to the United Nations--Dirk Jan van den Berg
The Netherlands'
embassy
in the U.S. is at 4200 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel:
202-244-5300; fax: 202-362-3430.
ECONOMY
After a strong performance in the 1990s, which brought unemployment
to below 3%, the Dutch economy has struggled in recent years,
plagued by relatively high costs and weak domestic demand. Real GDP,
which contracted by 0.9% in 2003, recovered moderately to an
estimated 1.3% in 2004, largely due to a turnaround in both domestic
demand and net exports. The economy is expected to grow by 1.5% in
2005 and 2% in 2006. After stagnant growth in 2003, exports
rebounded in 2004, up 7.2%, and are expected to continue to grow
strongly in 2005. This acceleration was not quite matched by growth
in imports, which grew by 6.7% in 2004 and resulted in a further
widening of the country's substantial trade surplus. The close
correlation between export and import growth rates reflects the
importance of re-export goods -- goods produced elsewhere that are
redistributed via the Netherlands, mainly to other EU countries,
with little or no further processing.
Private consumption rose by 0.5% in 2004,
after falling by 0.9% in 2003, but remained sluggish, partly because
of a persistently high unemployment rate of 6.4%. Private
consumption is forecasted to pick up slightly in 2005-06. Government
consumption increased by only 0.2% in 2004, well below increases in
previous years. Although private and government consumption remained
weak, investment staged a modest recovery with fixed capital
formation 1.6% higher in 2004 than in 2003, a positive trend
following drops of 3.6 and 3.1% in 2002 and 2003, respectively.
Many firms in the Netherlands cite a loss
of competitiveness as a major impediment to growth. Increases in
unit labor costs in recent years have outpaced those of their major
competitors, including within the euro area. However, low wage rises
in 2004 enabled firms to regain some lost ground, and further gains
are expected following the recent agreement to restrain wage growth
in 2005. Inflation dropped to 2.2% in 2003 and fell further to 1.4%
in 2004, despite higher oil prices. Inflation is expected to
stabilize at 1.5% in 2005 but could rise again slightly in 2006 as
stronger domestic demand begins to put upward pressure on prices.
The Netherlands was one of the first EU
member states to qualify for the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
Its fiscal policy has sought to strike a balance between further
reductions in public spending and lower taxes and social security
contributions. However, an unexpected sharp economic downturn tipped
the fiscal balance and pushed the nominal deficit from 1.6% of GDP
in 2002 to 3.3% in 2003, breaching the 3% GDP limit set by the EMU's
Growth and Stability Pact. In April 2004, the center-right coalition
government agreed to a package of spending cuts, largely to health
services, which helped to lower the budget deficit to 2.9% of GDP,
just within the 3% limit. The government's 2005 budget, announced in
September 2004, includes additional austerity measures and suggests
that the deficit will decline further to 2.6% of GDP. However,
concessions made to unions on unemployment benefits in order to
reach agreement on measures to discourage early retirement and to
keep wage rises down could widen the deficit unless the government
introduces further cuts in 2006.
Government Role
Although the private sector is the cornerstone of the economy, the
Netherlands has an important and vibrant public sector. The
government plays a significant role through permit requirements and
regulations pertaining to almost every aspect of economic activity.
The government combines a rigorous and stable microeconomic policy
with wide-ranging structural and regulatory reforms. The government
has gradually reduced its role in the economy since the 1980s, and
privatization and deregulation continue unabated.
Trade and Investment
The Netherlands, which derives more than two-thirds of GDP from
merchandise and services trade, continued to have a strongly
positive balance of goods and services trade for 2004 of $38.7
billion--close to 6.5% of GDP, the main contributor to a current
account surplus of close to 2.3% of GDP. Since there are no
significant trade or investment barriers, the Netherlands remains a
receptive market for U.S. exports and an important investment
partner. The Netherlands is the eighth-largest U.S. export market,
as well as the fourth-largest direct investor in the United States.
Dutch accumulated direct investment in the United States in 2003 was
$146 billion. The United States is the largest investor in the
Netherlands with direct investment of $179 billion. There are more
than 1,600 U.S. companies with subsidiaries or offices in the
Netherlands. The Dutch are strong proponents of free trade and the
staunchest allies of the U.S. in international fora such as the
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the OECD.
Sectors of the Economy
Services account for over 70% of the national income and are
primarily in transportation, distribution, logistics, and financial
areas, such as banking and insurance. Industrial activity generates
about a fourth of the national product and is dominated by the
metalworking, oil refining, chemical, and food processing
industries. The agriculture and fisheries sector and traditional
Dutch activities account for some 3% of GDP.
Although Dutch crude oil production is
small, the Netherlands ranks among the largest producers and
distributors of natural gas. The Slochteren gasfields in Groningen
Province in the north are among the world's largest-producing
natural gas fields. Total proven reserves of natural gas situated on
the mainland currently amount to about 2 trillion cubic meters.
Roughly 80% is accounted for by reserves on the mainland, the
remaining 20% accounted for by relatively small deposits on the
North Sea continental shelf. Current gas production is running at an
annual average of close to 80 billion cubic meters, roughly half of
which is exported to EU member countries.
Environmental Policy
The Netherlands is a small and densely populated country. Its
economy depends on industry, particularly chemicals and metal
processing, intensive agriculture and horticulture, and on its
infrastructure, which takes advantage of the country's geographical
position at the heart of Europe's transportation network. These
factors have led to major pressure on the environment.
The National Environmental Policy Plan (NMP)
sets out Dutch environmental policy. The first version was published
in 1989, followed by second and third versions in 1993 and 1998,
respectively. NMP-4, laying out government environmental policy over
the next few years, was published in 2001. Under the NMP, the
government seeks to cut back on all forms of pollution by 80%-90%
within one generation, meaning that by 2010, the present generation
should be able to pass on a clean environment to the next one.
Although the environmental quality in the
Netherlands has improved significantly, some important targets,
particularly with respect to nitrogen oxide and ammonia emissions,
climate change, and noise reduction, will not be realized within the
timeframe set in the NMPs. The main reasons for this are increasing
mobility, energy use, and intensive agriculture. The NMP-4,
therefore, proposes drastic measures in order to be able to meet the
targets.
The Dutch Government works closely with
industry and nongovernmental organizations on implementation of
environmental policy. To be able to reach environmental targets, the
government has signed agreements with the private sector and other
relevant organizations. In order to meet the Kyoto target of
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6% in the 2008-2012 period from
1990 levels, the government reached an agreement with industry and
the energy sector on emission rights trading. The sectors have been
allocated 112 million tons of CO2 for the 2005-2007 period. The
European emissions trading system is to start operating in 2005.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
The Netherlands abandoned a long-standing policy of neutrality
after World War II. The Dutch are engaged participants in
international affairs. Dutch foreign policy is geared to promoting a
wide variety of goals: the rule of law, human rights, and democracy.
Priority is given to enhancing European integration, ensuring
European security and stability (mainly through the mechanism of
NATO and by emphasizing the important role the United States plays
in the security of Europe), and participating in conflict management
and peacekeeping missions.
The Netherlands generally pursues its
foreign policy interests within the framework of multilateral
organizations. The Netherlands is an active and responsible
participant in the United Nations as well as other multilateral
organizations such as NATO, the EU, the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe (CoE), the
OECD, the WTO, and the International Monetary Fund. A centuries-old
tradition of legal scholarship has made the Netherlands the home of
the International Court of Justice; the Yugoslavia and Rwanda War
Crimes Tribunals; the European judicial and police organizations
Eurojust and Europol; the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons; and International Criminal Court. Dutch security
policy is based primarily on membership in NATO, which the
Netherlands joined as a charter member in 1949.
The Dutch are strong advocates of European
integration, and most aspects of their foreign, economic, and trade
policies are coordinated through the European Union. The
Netherlands’ post-war Customs Union with Belgium and Luxembourg (the
Benelux group) paved the way for the formation of the European
Community (precursor to the EU). Likewise, the Benelux abolition of
internal border controls was a model for the wider Schengen accord,
which today has 15 European signatories, including the Netherlands,
pledged to common visa policies and free movement of people and
goods across common borders.
The Dutch were key proponents of the 1992
Maastricht Treaty and were the architects of the 1998 Treaty of
Amsterdam. They have embraced the introduction of new member states
and the common currency (euro). The Netherlands last held the
revolving presidency of the EU in the second half of 2004.
Foreign Aid
The Netherlands is among the world's leading aid donors, giving
about 0.8% of its gross national product (about $4.2 billion in
2004) annually in development assistance, a ratio maintained as a
firm policy target. The Dutch thus rank as the sixth largest donor
nation in dollar terms and the fifth most generous relative to GNP.
The country consistently contributes large amounts of aid through
multilateral channels, especially the UN Development Program, the
international financial institutions, and EU programs. A portion of
Dutch aid funds also are channeled through private ("cofinancing")
organizations that have almost total autonomy in choice of projects.
Minister for Development Cooperation Agnes van Ardenne oversees the
aid portfolio.
Dutch development strategy is anchored in
the Millennium Development Goals and as such focuses on poverty
reduction. The priority programmatic areas for Dutch assistance are
education, the environment and water, AIDS, and reproductive health
care.
In 2004, the Netherlands introduced a new,
more focused development aid strategy, under which a number of
smaller aid programs in wealthier developing countries were phased
out. The number of countries in which the Dutch operate bilateral
assistance programs was thus cut from 49 to 36, and the number of
sectors in which the Dutch will be active in each country was
limited to two to three. Roughly half of Dutch aid is earmarked for
Africa. In addition, the Dutch introduced a new policy instrument,
the Stability Fund, which pushes the bounds of traditional
development assistance by funding programs and activities, such as
police training, that aim to create a security environment in which
development can proceed. The Stability Fund, to be managed jointly
by the Minister for Development Cooperation and the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, is budgeted at approximately EUR 110 million in
2005.
The Dutch are the top donor of unearmarked
assistance to UN humanitarian programs. For Afghanistan, the
Netherlands in 2004 pledged EUR 44 million to the Afghan
Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and an additional EUR 10 million
for humanitarian relief and the conduct of elections. For 2004-06,
the Dutch have pledged EUR 75 million for the ARTF and additional
EUR 25 million in humanitarian aid. For Iraq, the Dutch pledged EUR
16 million in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in 2004. In
response to the Asian Tsunami, the Dutch contributed EUR 40 million
in humanitarian relief and have promised EUR 200 million over the
next five years for reconstruction efforts in Indonesia and Sri
Lanka. The Netherlands has traditionally been a strong supporter of
programs to help Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. The
Balkans are another major recipient of Dutch assistance. The Dutch
fund programs in Bosnia and Macedonia in the areas of education,
good governance, and economic reform.
Despite their commitment to ODA, the Dutch
also champion the role of trade and private enterprise for their
contributions to development. In recent years, the government has
devised new programs to support private sector development in
developing countries.
In May 2004, Foreign Policy Magazine,
in conjunction with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
and the Center for Global Development ranked the Netherlands number
one for the quality of its aid program.
International Drug-Trafficking Control
The Dutch work closely with the United States and other countries on
international programs against drug trafficking and organized crime.
There is close Dutch-U.S. cooperation on joint counter-narcotics
operations in the Caribbean. The 10-year Forward Operation Locations
agreement between the U.S. and the Kingdom for the establishment of
forward operating locations on Aruba and Curacao became effective in
October 2001. The Netherlands is a signatory to international
counternarcotics agreements, a member of the UN ODC, the UN
Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the 1990 Strasbourg Convention on
Money Laundering and Confiscation, and is a major contributor to
international counternarcotics projects.
U.S. RELATIONS
The U.S. partnership with the Netherlands is one of its oldest
continuous relationships and dates back to the American Revolution.
The excellent bilateral relations are based on close historical and
cultural ties as well as a common dedication to individual freedom
and human rights. The Netherlands shares with the United States a
liberal economic outlook and is firmly committed to free trade. The
United States attaches great value to its strong economic and
commercial ties with the Dutch. The Netherlands is the
fourth-largest direct foreign investor in the United States, and the
United States is the largest direct foreign investor in the
Netherlands.
The United States and the Netherlands often
have similar positions on issues and work together both bilaterally
and multilaterally in such institutions as the United Nations and
NATO. The Dutch have worked with the United States at the WTO, in
the OECD, as well as within the EU to advance the shared U.S. goal
of a more open, honest, and market-led global economy. The Dutch,
like the United States, supported the recent accession of 10 new
members to the EU.
The United States and the Netherlands
joined NATO as charter members in 1949. The Dutch fought alongside
the United States in the Korean War and the first Gulf War and have
been active in global peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia,
Afghanistan and Iraq. The Netherlands played a leading role in the
1999 Kosovo air campaign. They currently are contributing to EU
peacekeeping forces in Bosnia. They have been active participants in
the International Security Assistance Force and Operation Enduring
Freedom in Afghanistan. In the initial phase of the recent Iraq
conflict, the Dutch deployed Patriot missiles to protect NATO ally
Turkey, and sent a battalion of troops to Iraq to participate in
stabilization operations. The Dutch also support and participate in
NATO and EU training efforts in Iraq.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Clifford
M. Sobel
Deputy Chief of Mission--Daniel R. Russell
Political Counselor—Andrew Schofer
Economic Counselor--Richard Huff
Public Affairs Counselor--Jess Baily
Global Affairs Chief--Andrew C. Mann
Management Counselor--Clyde L. Jardine
Regional Security Officer--Roberto C. Bernardo
Defense Attache--Capt. Frank Buerger, USN
Office of Defense Cooperation—Col. Mark Rumohr
Commercial Counselor--August Maffry Jr.
Agriculture Counselor--Roger Wentzel
Consul General, Amsterdam--Michele T. Bond
The
U.S.
Embassy is located at Lange Voorhout 102,
2514 EJ The Hague; tel: 31-70-310-9209; fax: 31-70-361-4688. The
Consulate General is at Museumplein 19, 1071 DJ Amsterdam; tel:
31-20-575-5309; fax: 31-20-575-5310.
Italian Site
