THE HAGUE – The Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten are planning an initial meeting in Sint Maarten in November that could pave the way for a new Kingdom Conference aimed at strengthening cooperation among the four countries.
The prime ministers of the three Caribbean countries have discussed the initiative with Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Eric van der Burg. However, the agenda, format and subjects to be addressed have not yet been determined.
Van der Burg disclosed the plans in a letter sent to the Dutch House of Representatives at the end of August in response to agreements reached during the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) in June.
The state secretary specifically described the planned November gathering as a “first initial meeting,” meaning it has not yet been decided that a full Kingdom Conference will take place at that time.
A Kingdom Conference would bring together the four autonomous countries of the Kingdom — Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands — to discuss matters of common concern. According to Van der Burg, the countries themselves must jointly determine the subjects to be discussed and how the consultation should be organized.
Another unresolved issue is the involvement of the four parliaments. Van der Burg said he first intends to discuss with the Caribbean countries whether parliamentarians should be formally connected to the conference. The Dutch House of Representatives will be informed once more clarity has been reached.
The initiative follows discussions during the latest IPKO, where cooperation within the Kingdom was a central theme. Parliamentarians discussed, among other issues, protection of personal data and the longstanding debate over the democratic deficit within the Kingdom.
According to Van der Burg, differences remain between the four countries regarding personal-data protection, and efforts are underway toward greater harmonization. The Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security is coordinating the process on behalf of the Netherlands.
Work is also continuing on the issue of the Kingdom’s democratic deficit, a term referring broadly to the limited influence the Caribbean countries can have over certain Kingdom-level decisions despite being affected by them. Van der Burg has discussed the matter with an expert group and is awaiting its final report.
The idea of reviving a Kingdom Conference is not new. Previous attempts have been made to establish such consultations, with the Dutch government previously committing to inform its Parliament about the proposed agenda and the Netherlands’ position beforehand.
The November meeting in Sint Maarten will therefore primarily serve as an attempt to restart the process. Only after discussions among the four countries is it expected to become clear what a future Kingdom Conference will address, how it will be structured and what role the parliaments of Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands will have.