The Benelux is a political economic union signed in 1944 aimed at deepening cooperation between the three neighbours, although Luxembourg does not border the Netherlands. It issues a joint work programme every four years, setting the course for annual plans that are presided over on a rotating basis by the member countries.
This year, Belgium holds the presidency of the Benelux committee of ministers.
The five main axes defined in the 2021-2024 programme are:
- A strong, sustainable interior market that contributes to a digital and green restart.
- The ambition for a joint security area.
- An “intelligent Benelux” that puts its citizens and companies in relationship with each other.
- A platform for responsible cooperation, ready to act concretely.
- An ally of regional cooperation in the service of European integration.
Policy initiatives under the joint work programme range from a new treaty for police cooperation and combatting cross-border crime to cooperation on food safety, cross-border access to digital services, joint crisis management, and facilitating cross-border research projects.
“Our objective will be to promote prosperity, well-being, security and equal opportunities for all citizens and businesses within the Benelux Union, in particular by further developing existing cooperation, by working to remove the obstacles created across borders, promoting economies of scale and, when possible, encouraging new forms of cross-border cooperation,” said Benelux secretary general Alain de Muyser (Luxembourg) in a statement.
Under previously signed agreements, Benelux countries automatically mutually recognise higher education diplomas and university degrees. They also agreed to carry out joint checks of lorries and buses in border regions, and to enhance police cooperation and exchange of information on investigations.
“The covid-19 crisis has shown that exchange of knowledge is essential, and that consultation and cooperation hold major importance,” a press release said.
Luxembourg had been angered in March 2020 when its neighbours unilaterally decided to close their borders as part of lockdown measures, although exemptions were negotiated for cross-border workers and road haulage.
Under the new Benelux work programme, the three countries want to work more closely with neighbouring regions in Germany and France, including in the field of crisis management, according to the statement.
“By supporting innovation and digitisation, an optimisation of cross-border health policy and facilitation of cross-border mobility, in particular of workers, is possible, as is the strengthening of cooperation between our security services, such as the police and judiciary or our crisis centres,” said De Muyser.
The Benelux countries carried out a public consultation as part of the process to set its agenda, saying that numerous proposals had helped define a programme that makes sense for citizens.