THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao risks slowing down or even derailing key government reforms if it decides to end its cooperation framework with the Netherlands, according to a detailed evaluation of ongoing reform programs.
The report highlights that the current framework, known as the mutual arrangement for cooperation on reforms, provides not only funding but also critical technical expertise and execution capacity. These elements have been essential in moving reforms from planning stages toward implementation.
Despite progress in recent years, many of the island’s most important reforms remain incomplete. According to the document, several major structural changes—ranging from tax reform to government financial management—are still in transitional phases and require additional time and support to be fully realized.
The urgency is particularly evident in the current implementation agenda covering late 2025 through early 2026. The report notes that multiple large-scale reforms are experiencing delays and have been assigned strict decision deadlines. Without timely political decisions, there may not be enough time left before the formal end of the cooperation framework in April 2027 to complete them.
Among the most vulnerable projects are reforms to the tax system, including the planned introduction of a value-added tax, modernization of the Tax Office, and improvements to financial oversight within government. These projects are considered essential for strengthening Curaçao’s long-term financial stability.
The report warns that ending the cooperation agreement would mean losing access to external expertise, structured monitoring, and co-financing—factors that have helped maintain progress so far. Without these, there is a significant risk that reforms could stall or remain unfinished.
At the same time, the government of Curaçao has already identified public sector reform as a priority in its own policy agenda. The current administration has framed the period from 2025 to 2029 as a second phase of reform, explicitly acknowledging the role of continued cooperation with the Netherlands.
This creates a potential contradiction. While political debate continues about autonomy and external involvement, the practical implementation of reforms still depends heavily on the very structures now under review.
The report ultimately suggests that the central question is no longer whether reforms are needed, but whether Curaçao has the capacity to carry them out independently within the current timeframe.