THE HAGUE - Today marks the start of the summer edition of the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IpKo), the biannual meeting of the parliaments of the Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten.
Traditionally, IpKo commences with inconsequential opening speeches from the delegation leaders and the obligatory group photo, intended for their respective home countries. The most striking aspect of the published agenda, however, is what is absent: the dispute settlement for the Kingdom. There was once a draft prepared unilaterally by former Minister Plasterk, but wisely withdrawn by his successor Knops when it became clear that the intended "consensus Kingdom Act" would be voted down in the Senate due to the lack of consensus—only the Netherlands supported it.
Subsequently, an agreement was reached within the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom, stipulating that Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten would take the lead in developing an alternative solution that could garner support from all countries involved. While the topic was briefly discussed in vague terms during the previous IpKo, no concrete proposal was presented. Despite the repeated expressions of disappointment by the CAS countries regarding the absence of a dispute settlement mechanism, they have not yet presented their own alternative. Judging from the agenda, it seems that this will not change in the current IpKo either.
As part of the constitutional reform of 10-10-10, it was stipulated in the Statute that a mechanism should be established to settle legal disputes between the countries of the Kingdom. The underlying idea at the time was to ensure that regular cooperation would not be burdened by disputes over the interpretation of the Statute. The yet unresolved dilemma is that the CAS countries desire an independent dispute resolution body with binding decisions, while the Netherlands is unwilling to relinquish its current position of having the final say in all matters.
In the coming days, the IpKo delegations will discuss various topics, including the post-apology era of slavery, climate change, and the challenges faced by Caribbean students studying in the Netherlands. On Monday, the IpKo will conclude with a celebratory signing of an "agreements list," which is typically low on actual commitments. Nevertheless, the participants will emphasize the fruitfulness of this IpKo, as has been customary.