WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao is being asked to take a position on new Kingdom legislation aimed at preventing several key regulations from automatically expiring on January 1, 2028.
The proposal, already forwarded by the Kingdom Council of Ministers to the parliaments within the Kingdom, follows a 2024 amendment to the Kingdom Charter. That change requires that regulations affecting citizens must now be anchored in formal Kingdom laws.
As a result, a number of existing arrangements—currently based on so-called general measures of Kingdom governance—will lose their legal validity after a four-year transition period unless they are formally converted into law.
According to the Dutch government, the proposed legislation is not intended to introduce new policy, but rather to preserve existing agreements and close potential legal gaps.
For Curaçao, the implications are significant. Without legislative action, several important arrangements could disappear, including rules governing the organization and funding of the Red Cross within the Kingdom, the awarding of public safety volunteer medals, and parts of maritime regulations related to ship security certificates.
In addition, the proposal covers agreements stemming from the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, including arrangements on the division of rights and obligations, debt restructuring, and cooperation in policing and the prison system. The legal basis for the financing and oversight of the Public Prosecution Service could also be affected.
Authorities warn that failure to act could lead to legal uncertainty and disrupt cooperation within the Kingdom.
The proposal now places Curaçao in a critical position: either support the legislation to maintain continuity, or risk allowing key frameworks to lapse within the next few years.