THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD – The publication of international treaties within the Kingdom of the Netherlands is set to become faster and more streamlined, following a proposed amendment to the Kingdom Act governing the approval and publication of treaties.
Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp announced that the government intends to formally закреп the current practice of accelerated publication, while also recognizing the digital Verdragenbank (Treaty Database) as an official public source.
According to the minister, the existing timelines for publishing treaties have become outdated due to the digitalization of official documents. In practice, treaties are already made available almost immediately online through the Tractatenblad, making lengthy publication delays unnecessary.
The proposed amendment will shorten and standardize the publication period, aligning legal procedures with current digital practices. In many cases, faster publication has already been applied, particularly for treaties that enter into force immediately after signing. The new legislation aims to give this approach a formal legal basis.
A key component of the reform is the formal recognition of the Verdragenbank as an official and publicly accessible source of treaty information. This shift emphasizes digital accessibility and is expected to improve access to information for citizens and institutions across all parts of the Kingdom, including Curaçao and the wider Caribbean.
The changes will not affect when treaties actually enter into force, as that continues to be determined by the terms of each individual agreement.
For the Caribbean countries and territories within the Kingdom, the main impact will be faster access to treaty information, without reliance on longer, traditional publication procedures. Officials say the reform is part of a broader effort to modernize governance and ensure transparency in an increasingly digital environment.