Overview
Capital: Amsterdam; Parliament and government are located in The Hague
Official EU language(s): Dutch
EU Member State: since 1 January 1958
Currency: euro (€)
Euro area: member since 1 January 1999
Schengen: member since 26 March 1995
Figures:
- Geographical size: 37 391 km2
- Population: 17 942 942 (2024)
(Source: Eurostat - figures for geographical size and population)
Political system
The Netherlands is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The prime minister is the head of government and the monarch is the head of state. A council of ministers holds the executive power. The country is divided into 12 provinces and 342 municipalities. It is also divided into 21 water districts, governed by an executive board that has authority in matters of water management. 6 overseas countries and territories in the Caribbean are also part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. However, these territories are not part of the EU.
Trade and economy
The Netherlands ranks third in the European Union in terms of GDP per capita with €48 900, well above the EU average (€37 600). It accounts for 6.3% of the EU's total GDP.
(Source: Eurostat - figures for GDP per capita and GDP)
(Source: Eurostat - figures for exports and imports)
There are 31 representatives from the Netherlands in the European Parliament. Find out who these Members of the European Parliament are and follow the activities of the European Parliament’s office in the Netherlands.
In the Council of the EU, national ministers meet regularly to adopt EU laws and coordinate policies. Representatives from the Dutch government attend Council meetings focused on their area of responsibility several times a year.
The Council of the EU does not have a permanent, single-person president (like the Commission or Parliament). Instead, its work is led by the country holding the Council presidency, which rotates every 6 months.
During these 6 months, ministers from that country's government chair and help determine the agenda of Council meetings in the different policy areas, and facilitate dialogue with the other EU institutions.
Dates of Dutch presidencies:
Jul-Dec 1960 | Jul-Dec 1963 | Jul-Dec 1966 | Jul-Dec 1969 | Jul-Dec 1972 | Jul-Dec 1976 | Jan-Jun 1981 | Jan-Jun 1986 | Jul-Dec 1991 | Jan-Jun 1997 | Jul-Dec 2004 | Jan-Jun 2016 | Jul-Dec 2029
The European Commissioner nominated by the Netherlands is Wopke Hoekstra who is responsible for climate, net zero and clean growth.
The Commission is represented in each EU country by a local office, called a "representation". Find out more about the Commission's representation in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has 12 representatives on the European Economic and Social Committee. This advisory body – representing employers, workers and other interest groups – is consulted on proposed laws, to get a better idea of the possible changes to work and social situations in different countries.
The Netherlands has 12 representatives on the European Committee of the Regions, the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives. This advisory body is consulted on proposed laws, to ensure these laws take account of the perspective from each region of the EU.
The Netherlands also communicates with the EU institutions through its permanent representation in Brussels. As the Dutch "embassy to the EU", its main task is to ensure that the country's interests and policies are heard and pursued as much as possible in the EU.
Budgets and funding
How do the Netherlands benefit from the EU budget?
The EU budget is the tool to ensure that Europe remains a democratic, peaceful, prosperous and competitive force. The EU uses it to finance its priorities and big projects that most individual EU countries could not finance on their own.
The benefits of EU membership significantly exceed the size of the EU budget contributions and the examples are many. All Member States benefit from being part of the Single Market, a shared approach to the common challenges of migration, terrorism and climate change, and concrete gains like better transport infrastructure, modernised and digitalised public services and cutting-edge medical treatment.
How much each EU country pays into the EU budget is calculated fairly. The larger your country's economy, the more it pays – and vice versa.
The EU budget is not about giving and taking – it’s about collectively contributing to making Europe and the world a better place for us all.
EU budget spending and revenue per country and per year
EU-funded projects in the Netherlands
Money from the EU budget helps fund programmes and projects in all EU countries – for example to build roads, subsidise researchers and protect the environment.
Find out more about how the Netherlands benefits from EU funding and recovery funds in your country or region.