EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL
JUSTICE, HOME AFFAIRS AND SECURITY
BENELUX
1: Origin and historical development
Final phase of WWII 1943: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg: agreement reinforcing
economic relations and facilitating monetary transactions among them
- Fixed exchange rate between the Belgian-Luxembourg franc and the Dutch guilder
- Allowing each other some credit facilities would secure and stabilize trade relations
- 1944 Customs Convention entered into force in 1948
- Abolishment of intra-Benelux custom duties
- Establishment of a common import tariff for third countries
1958: Benelux Treaty Benelux Economic Union (BEU)
- Own institutions and own policy
- Enter into force: 1960
Cooperation further than economic matters?
- Agreement to move controls on persons to the outer borders of the Benelux
- Convention on the import and export of goods -> administrative cooperation and exchange
of information
- 1962: Treaty on Extradition on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters = Benelux
Extradition Treaty
- Prosecutorial extradition
- Executorial extradition
- => Foundation for the 1974 Benelux Protocol
- 1968: Benelux Treaty on the Execution of Judicial Decisions in Criminal Matters
- 1969: Benelux Convention on Administrative and Criminal Cooperation in Matters related to
the Aims of the Benelux Economic Union
1996: Senningen Memorandom on cooperation in the fields of police, justice and immigration
- 2004 Declaration on the cooperation between liaison officers
- 2004 Benelux Treaty on cross-border police interventions
- => Adoption of multi-annual Senningen Action Plans
- 2018: newest version of Benelux Police Cooperation Treaty
Reason to exist?
- Originally: Benelux Treaty for 50 years 1958-2008
- New Benelux Treaty 2008, enter into force 2012 for indefinite time (without an
expiry date)
- Reduced the number of Benelux commissions and institutions to improve
transparency, efficiency and flexibility
- 3 general themes
1
, - International market and economic union
- Sustainable development
- Justice and home affairs, which are systematically further elaborated on in four-year
Action Plans
- Enhanced cooperation between Benelux countries continues to have a tangible impact on
citizens’ daily lives
- Explore further deepening of cooperation with Baltic and Nordic states
2: Institutional structure and functioning
2008 Benelux Treaty: article 5
2.1: Benelux Secretariat-General
2.1.1: Composition
60 permanent international officials managed by a Board of Secretary-Generals comprising a
Secretary-General of the Dutch Nationality and 2 Adjunct Secretary-Generals, one Belgian and one
form Luxembourg
Term of 5 years
2.1.2: Tasks and responsibilities
Article 61
- Coordinates the administrative tasks that follow from the activities from the Commission, the
Ministerial Working Groups, Council and Commission’s independent experts
- Coordinates the design of the Common Work plan and draws up annual plan for Benelux
- Maintains necessary contacts
- Draws up the draft budget
2.1.3: Functioning
Located in Brussels, ‘House of the Benelux’ neutral link between the 3 member states
governments
3 teams
- Market
- Sustainable development
- Justice and Home Affairs
Initiate, support, control and improve cooperation between the 3 member states
Support services
- Staff Bureau
- Service Corporate Organisation
- Language service
2
,2.2: Benelux Committee of Ministers
2.2.1: Composition
At least one deputy of the government of each member state ministers of Foreign Affairs, but they
can also delegate another deputy
2.2.2: Tasks and responsibilities
Take measures to ensure the implementation of the Benelux Treaty
Decision-making power unanimity!
Agreements adopted by the Committee of Ministers are the most important legal instruments of the
Benelux cooperation
Working groups
2.2.3: Functioning
Convenes once every Presidency
Presidency rotates annually between representatives of the MS
2.3: Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly
= Benelux Parliament
Was set up before the actual Benelux Treaty was signed! (1955 – 1958)
2015: Benelux Interparliamentary Consultative Council Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly
2.3.1: Composition
49 members: 21 Belgian, 21 Dutch and 7 from Luxembourg
Groups according political spectrum
2.3.2: Tasks and responsibilities
Advises and formulates opinions directed at the national governments on issues that relate to
- Cross-border cooperation
- Formation and functioning of economic union
- Sustainable development
- Cooperation in fields of justice and home affairs
- External cooperation of MS with 3rd countries
- Foreign policy and European matters
Governments ask advice every time an agreement is concluded or changes
Informative, supporting and stimulating function
- Informs governments of discussions
- Recommendations for national governments stimulates cooperation between MS and MS
with 3rd countries
- Economic, social and financial cooperation -> completing the internal market
3
, - Cooperation internationally with supra-regional and supranational organizations, and with
countries (Visegrad countries)
2.3.3: Functioning
Secretariat in the Palace of Nations in Brussels
3 ‘two-day’-plenary sessions a year
~ functioning of national parliament: sessions are public, rounds of questions and answers,
interpellations and votes on opinions and recommendations
7 parliamentary commissions consisting of 12 members: 5 Belgian, 5 Dutch and 2 from Luxembourg
Permanent Committee = leading body, consisting of 16 members
2.4: Other Benelux Institutions
2.4.1: Benelux Council
Senior civil servants representing the MS.
Composition of Council changes, depending of the issue
Chaired by the representative of the MS at that time holding the presidency of the Benelux
Main task: prepare dossiers for the ministers, and if necessary make recommendations
2.4.2: Benelux Court of Justice
Nine members
Tasks
- Ensure and promote the equal application of Benelux law
- National judges can ask for a preliminary ruling
- Advisory function
- Hear civil-servant related disputes
- Deal with appeals cases on trademarks, designs and models
3 chambers
- Prejudicial questions and advisory matters
- Jurisprudence
- Staff matters
3: Policy
3.1: Senningen cooperation
3.1.1: Deepening police cooperation
2004 Senningen Treaty on cross-border police intervention
- More activity of the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg police officers operation on the territory
of either of the 2 MS
4
JUSTICE, HOME AFFAIRS AND SECURITY
BENELUX
1: Origin and historical development
Final phase of WWII 1943: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg: agreement reinforcing
economic relations and facilitating monetary transactions among them
- Fixed exchange rate between the Belgian-Luxembourg franc and the Dutch guilder
- Allowing each other some credit facilities would secure and stabilize trade relations
- 1944 Customs Convention entered into force in 1948
- Abolishment of intra-Benelux custom duties
- Establishment of a common import tariff for third countries
1958: Benelux Treaty Benelux Economic Union (BEU)
- Own institutions and own policy
- Enter into force: 1960
Cooperation further than economic matters?
- Agreement to move controls on persons to the outer borders of the Benelux
- Convention on the import and export of goods -> administrative cooperation and exchange
of information
- 1962: Treaty on Extradition on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters = Benelux
Extradition Treaty
- Prosecutorial extradition
- Executorial extradition
- => Foundation for the 1974 Benelux Protocol
- 1968: Benelux Treaty on the Execution of Judicial Decisions in Criminal Matters
- 1969: Benelux Convention on Administrative and Criminal Cooperation in Matters related to
the Aims of the Benelux Economic Union
1996: Senningen Memorandom on cooperation in the fields of police, justice and immigration
- 2004 Declaration on the cooperation between liaison officers
- 2004 Benelux Treaty on cross-border police interventions
- => Adoption of multi-annual Senningen Action Plans
- 2018: newest version of Benelux Police Cooperation Treaty
Reason to exist?
- Originally: Benelux Treaty for 50 years 1958-2008
- New Benelux Treaty 2008, enter into force 2012 for indefinite time (without an
expiry date)
- Reduced the number of Benelux commissions and institutions to improve
transparency, efficiency and flexibility
- 3 general themes
1
, - International market and economic union
- Sustainable development
- Justice and home affairs, which are systematically further elaborated on in four-year
Action Plans
- Enhanced cooperation between Benelux countries continues to have a tangible impact on
citizens’ daily lives
- Explore further deepening of cooperation with Baltic and Nordic states
2: Institutional structure and functioning
2008 Benelux Treaty: article 5
2.1: Benelux Secretariat-General
2.1.1: Composition
60 permanent international officials managed by a Board of Secretary-Generals comprising a
Secretary-General of the Dutch Nationality and 2 Adjunct Secretary-Generals, one Belgian and one
form Luxembourg
Term of 5 years
2.1.2: Tasks and responsibilities
Article 61
- Coordinates the administrative tasks that follow from the activities from the Commission, the
Ministerial Working Groups, Council and Commission’s independent experts
- Coordinates the design of the Common Work plan and draws up annual plan for Benelux
- Maintains necessary contacts
- Draws up the draft budget
2.1.3: Functioning
Located in Brussels, ‘House of the Benelux’ neutral link between the 3 member states
governments
3 teams
- Market
- Sustainable development
- Justice and Home Affairs
Initiate, support, control and improve cooperation between the 3 member states
Support services
- Staff Bureau
- Service Corporate Organisation
- Language service
2
,2.2: Benelux Committee of Ministers
2.2.1: Composition
At least one deputy of the government of each member state ministers of Foreign Affairs, but they
can also delegate another deputy
2.2.2: Tasks and responsibilities
Take measures to ensure the implementation of the Benelux Treaty
Decision-making power unanimity!
Agreements adopted by the Committee of Ministers are the most important legal instruments of the
Benelux cooperation
Working groups
2.2.3: Functioning
Convenes once every Presidency
Presidency rotates annually between representatives of the MS
2.3: Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly
= Benelux Parliament
Was set up before the actual Benelux Treaty was signed! (1955 – 1958)
2015: Benelux Interparliamentary Consultative Council Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly
2.3.1: Composition
49 members: 21 Belgian, 21 Dutch and 7 from Luxembourg
Groups according political spectrum
2.3.2: Tasks and responsibilities
Advises and formulates opinions directed at the national governments on issues that relate to
- Cross-border cooperation
- Formation and functioning of economic union
- Sustainable development
- Cooperation in fields of justice and home affairs
- External cooperation of MS with 3rd countries
- Foreign policy and European matters
Governments ask advice every time an agreement is concluded or changes
Informative, supporting and stimulating function
- Informs governments of discussions
- Recommendations for national governments stimulates cooperation between MS and MS
with 3rd countries
- Economic, social and financial cooperation -> completing the internal market
3
, - Cooperation internationally with supra-regional and supranational organizations, and with
countries (Visegrad countries)
2.3.3: Functioning
Secretariat in the Palace of Nations in Brussels
3 ‘two-day’-plenary sessions a year
~ functioning of national parliament: sessions are public, rounds of questions and answers,
interpellations and votes on opinions and recommendations
7 parliamentary commissions consisting of 12 members: 5 Belgian, 5 Dutch and 2 from Luxembourg
Permanent Committee = leading body, consisting of 16 members
2.4: Other Benelux Institutions
2.4.1: Benelux Council
Senior civil servants representing the MS.
Composition of Council changes, depending of the issue
Chaired by the representative of the MS at that time holding the presidency of the Benelux
Main task: prepare dossiers for the ministers, and if necessary make recommendations
2.4.2: Benelux Court of Justice
Nine members
Tasks
- Ensure and promote the equal application of Benelux law
- National judges can ask for a preliminary ruling
- Advisory function
- Hear civil-servant related disputes
- Deal with appeals cases on trademarks, designs and models
3 chambers
- Prejudicial questions and advisory matters
- Jurisprudence
- Staff matters
3: Policy
3.1: Senningen cooperation
3.1.1: Deepening police cooperation
2004 Senningen Treaty on cross-border police intervention
- More activity of the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg police officers operation on the territory
of either of the 2 MS
4
