Benelux facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Benelux Union Benelux Unie  (Dutch) Union Benelux  (French)
Logo of the Benelux
Member states of the Benelux Union Luxembourg Netherlands Belgium
Administrative centre and largest agglomeration	Brussels 50°51′N 4°21′E / 50.850°N 4.350°E / 50.850; 4.350
Official languages	Dutch French
Type	Politico-economic union
Member states	Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg
Legislature	Parliament
Establishment
• Customs union treaty signed	5 September 1944
• Customs union in effect	1 January 1948
• Renewal signed	17 June 2008
• Renewal in effect	1 January 2010
Area
• Total	75,140 km2 (29,010 sq mi)
Population
• 2022 estimate	29,200,564
• Density	400/km2 (1,036.0/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2021 estimate
• Total	€1.431 trillion
• Per capita	€47,700
Currency	Euro (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Driving side	right

The Benelux Union is a special partnership between three countries in western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Its name comes from the first letters of each country. It started as an agreement about customs (taxes on goods) in 1944. Now, it's a wider cooperation that helps these countries work together on many things.

The Benelux region is busy and has many people. It holds about 5.6% of Europe's population. Many people from one Benelux country also work in another. For example, thousands of Belgians work in Luxembourg or the Netherlands every day.

The main groups that run the Benelux Union are the Committee of Ministers, the Council of the Union, and the General Secretariat. There's also the Interparliamentary Consultative Council and the Benelux Court of Justice. The Benelux General Secretariat is in Brussels, Belgium. It helps manage the daily work and meetings. The presidency of the Benelux changes each year between the three countries. Belgium holds it for 2024. About 80% of the people in Benelux speak Dutch.

Benelux History

Meeting of Benelux delegates in The Hague, 1949

In 1944, while World War II was still happening, representatives from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed a treaty in London. This treaty created the Benelux Customs Union. It meant that goods could move between these countries without extra taxes. This agreement started in 1948.

Later, in 1958, they signed a new treaty to create the Benelux Economic Union. This union officially began in 1960. Its main goal was to remove all barriers between the countries. This allowed people, money, services, and goods to move freely. This was one of the first examples of countries working closely together in Europe after the Second World War.

The Benelux cooperation was a model for other European groups. It helped inspire the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community and later the European Union. The Benelux countries also started the Schengen Area, which allows people to travel without passport checks between many European countries. Over time, Benelux cooperation grew beyond just economic matters. It now includes areas like security and protecting the environment.

Belgian Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens, Dutch Prime Minister Piet de Jong, and Luxembourg Prime Minister Pierre Werner during a Benelux conference in The Hague, Netherlands, on 28 April 1968

Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, Luxembourg Prime Minister Pierre Werner, and Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens at the Ministry of General Affairs, on 10 November 1982

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, and Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme in The Hague, Netherlands, on 24 May 2011

In 1965, the Benelux countries also created the Benelux Court of Justice. This court started working in 1974. It helps make sure that common Benelux laws are understood and used the same way in all three countries. Judges from the highest courts in each country are part of this special court, which is located in Luxembourg.

Renewing the Benelux Agreement

The original Benelux Economic Union treaty was set for 50 years. As this period ended, the three countries decided to update the agreement. They wanted to include new areas of cooperation, like security. They also considered the changes in Belgium's government structure.

So, in 2008, a new treaty was signed. This new treaty replaced the old one and started in 2010. The name also changed from "Benelux Economic Union" to "Benelux Union." This new name shows that their cooperation is much wider than just economics. The new treaty has no time limit. It focuses on three main areas: trade and economy, protecting the environment, and justice and internal affairs. The new treaty also makes it easier for Benelux to work with other European countries or groups.

Recent Benelux Activities

Since 2008, the Benelux Union has been very active. They work with regions like North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. They also connect with other groups like the Baltic States and the Nordic Council.

One important area of cooperation is intellectual property. This means protecting new ideas, inventions, and designs. The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property helps register trademarks and designs for all three countries.

Here are some examples of recent Benelux projects:

• In 2015, they made it easier for university degrees (bachelor's and master's) to be recognized in all three countries. By 2018, this applied to all degrees.
• In 2014, they started common road inspections.
• In 2017, they tested digital shipping documents for goods.
• In 2018, a new treaty on police cooperation was signed. This allows police forces to share information and sometimes cross borders to help each other.
• The Benelux countries are also working together on how to deal with climate change. They encourage cycling and want more bike paths built across Europe.

In 2018, the Benelux Treaty celebrated 60 years. A Benelux Youth Parliament was also created that year. Leaders of the Benelux countries often meet to discuss important topics. For example, they held an online summit in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2017, Belgium and the Netherlands take turns protecting the Benelux airspace for NATO.

Working with Other Regions

The Benelux countries also cooperate with other groups. They are part of the Pentalateral Energy Forum. This group includes France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It focuses on energy cooperation.

In 2017, Benelux members worked with countries from the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council. They discussed topics like the digital economy, social issues, and defense. They also talked about international relations. The Benelux Union also works closely with the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2018, they signed an agreement with France to improve cooperation across their borders.

Benelux Politics

Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg form the Benelux

The 2008 treaty set up five main Benelux institutions:

• The Benelux Committee of Ministers
• The Benelux Council
• The Benelux Parliament
• The Benelux Court of Justice
• The Benelux General Secretariat

The Benelux Organisation for Intellectual Property is a separate but related group.

Benelux Committee of Ministers: This is the highest decision-making body. It includes at least one minister from each of the three countries. The ministers decide what the Benelux cooperation will focus on. The presidency of this committee rotates yearly.

Benelux Council: This council is made up of senior officials from different government departments. Their main job is to prepare topics for the ministers to discuss and decide on.

Benelux InterParliamentary Consultative Council (Benelux Parliament): This group was created in 1955. It has 49 members from the national parliaments of the three countries. These members share information and advise their governments on Benelux matters. The official name is "Interparliamentary Consultative Council," but it is commonly called the Benelux Parliament.

Benelux Court of Justice: This is an international court. Its job is to make sure that Benelux laws are applied the same way in all three countries. If a national court has trouble understanding a Benelux law, it asks the Benelux Court for a ruling. This ruling is then binding. The judges come from the highest courts in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Benelux General Secretariat: Based in Brussels, this is the central office for Benelux cooperation. It supports the Committee of Ministers, the Council, and other working groups. The Secretariat helps start, support, and track cooperation in areas like economy, environment, and security. Benelux works based on a yearly plan, which is part of a four-year work program.

Benelux Legal Tools

The Benelux Union uses different types of legal tools to achieve its goals. The Treaty says the Committee of Ministers can use four main types:

1. Decisions These are rules that the Benelux countries must follow. They help put the Benelux Treaty into action. These decisions are binding for the countries, but they don't directly create rights for individual citizens or companies. National laws are needed to make them apply to people.

2. Agreements The Committee of Ministers can create agreements. These are then signed by the Benelux countries and approved by their parliaments. These agreements are like traditional treaties. They are binding for both governments and citizens.

3. Recommendations These are suggestions or guidelines from the ministers. They are not legally binding, but they are very important. They show the strong moral commitment of the Benelux countries to work together.

4. Directives These are instructions given by the Committee of Ministers to the Benelux Council or the General Secretariat. They help organize and guide the work of Benelux groups.

All four types of legal tools need to be approved by all members of the Committee of Ministers.

Benelux Countries

Satellite photo of the Benelux, 2005

Associated Territories

The Netherlands also has special territories outside of Europe. These are Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. They are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands but have their own governments.

See Also

• Admiral Benelux
• EU Med Group
• Baltic Assembly
• Inner Six
• Low Countries
• Nordic Council
• United Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Visegrád Group
• Polish–Czechoslovak confederation
• Proposed United Kingdom Confederation