WILLEMSTAD - The Ministers of Justice of Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands reaffirmed their commitment to intensify cooperation against organized and subversive crime during the most recent Judicial Four-Party Consultation (JVO), held in The Hague on September 11, 2025. The meeting, chaired by Aruba’s Minister of Justice, Integration, and Public Transport, focused on improving regional justice collaboration, strengthening law enforcement, and ensuring public safety across the Kingdom.
Joint approach to organized crime
A major focus of the JVO was the coordinated fight against organized and subversive crime within the Kingdom. The ministers emphasized not only a repressive but also a preventive and administrative approach to tackling criminal networks. The Caribbean Undermining Platform, which brings together justice partners from all islands, plays a central role in sharing intelligence and developing joint crime analysis to better understand the scope of transnational criminal activity.
The Netherlands continues to provide financial and technical support to this platform. As part of a motion from the Dutch Parliament, the ministers also agreed to compile an overview of ongoing joint efforts to combat drug trafficking from the Caribbean to the Netherlands and other destinations. The results will be evaluated at the next JVO in early 2026.
Forensic care and rehabilitation programs
The ministers discussed the shortage of forensic treatment and rehabilitation facilities in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, a situation that poses security risks. They agreed to move forward with a multi-year program focused on forensic care, the terbeschikkingstelling (TBS) system, and juvenile treatment (PIJ). A program manager will be appointed to coordinate plans and establish shared training initiatives across the islands, with the Netherlands co-financing Kingdom-wide projects.
Training local prosecutors
The consultation also addressed the Officier in Opleiding (OIO) program — a specialized training pathway to prepare local candidates in the Caribbean for positions as public prosecutors. Four candidates have already graduated, and a new three-year cycle will start in 2026. The program aims to reduce dependency on prosecutors from the European Netherlands and strengthen local judicial capacity.
Ending outdated guardianship rule
Another key outcome was the abolition of an outdated guardianship protocol from 2006 that required the appointment of temporary guardians for unaccompanied minors from the Caribbean settling in the Netherlands. The ministers agreed the rule was no longer necessary due to modern digital registration systems and the lack of legal justification for geographic distinctions.
Harmonizing data protection laws
The JVO also reviewed progress on harmonizing data protection regulations across the Kingdom. The working group on personal data protection is developing legislation aligned with the international C108+ Convention, ensuring a consistent framework for the secure exchange of personal information between the islands and the Netherlands.
Strengthening judicial institutions
The ministers discussed the annual reports and budgets of several joint institutions, including the Recherche Samenwerkingsteam (RST), the Council for Law Enforcement, the Joint Court of Justice, and the Office of the Attorney General. The Netherlands urged timely approval of these documents to ensure effective functioning of all justice agencies.
Next meeting
The next Judicial Four-Party Consultation will take place on January 14–16, 2026, in Sint Maarten.
In closing, Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Foort van Oosten praised the progress made:
“The Kingdom’s countries are working constructively to strengthen the rule of law and combat organized crime. This close partnership remains vital for the safety and stability of all parts of the Kingdom.”
