EU:
- The Netherlands wants a strong European approach to cross-border questions such as organised crime, terrorism, asylum, migration, environmental policy and climate change. - More attention to quality in the enlargement process, including a stringent and full application of accession criteria. - In the process of institutional reform that will likely be resumed during 2007, the Netherlands will primarily focus on treaty changes that fit in with the concrete European policy agenda, and on strengthening the democratic quality of the EU. - Integration of the EU in national decision-making processes must improve and the involvement of Dutch citizens and social organisations in Europe be increased. - The Netherlands will continue to push for further development of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and make proportional contributions to ESDP missions, among other things within the rotation scheme for the EU battle groups.
UN: - A strong and credible UN with a properly functioning Human Rights Council, a Peace Reconstruction Commission, reform of the Security Council and an improvement in UN management. - An effective non-proliferation regime, including wider inspection authority for the IAEA in the area of nuclear energy and nuclear technology. - Reform of the UN's development organisations, starting with the 'Four Ones': in countries where the UN is operating, only a single UN office, UN chief, joint programme and budget and financing mechanism. - Greater coherence in the environmental area and reform of the UN environmental architecture. - Continuing attention to improving human rights.
NATO: - Strengthening of civil-military cooperation within NATO, specifically military support for civil disaster response. - Using NATO as a dialogue forum for world security questions. - The Transatlantic partnership with the US is of increasing importance for wider international security. - Trans-Atlantic partnership will not prevent differences of opinion, such as on the treatment of certain prisoners, the International Criminal Court, the World Trade Organisation and the Climate Treaty.
DEVELOPMENT AID
- The Netherlands will again spent 0.8 percent of GNP (4,646 billion euros) on development aid in 2007. - As well as 0.7 percent on GNP on continuous combating of poverty, 0.1 percent will be spent on maintaining bio-diversity, integrated water management and renewable energy. - From 2007, 15 percent of the development budget will be spent on primary education in developing countries. - An Energy Fund will be set up to give 3.5 million poor people access to electricity. - More money will be made available for international education and for bourses and work experience placements for students from developing countries. - The Netherlands wants international cooperation in combating illegal trade and human trafficking and to help developing countries with tracking down documentation fraud, border control and the judicial apparatus - There will be more direct investment in and fostering of employment in developing countries via Dutch companies. - Research will be carried out into encouraging and regulating temporary instead of permanent labour migration from developing countries.
OTHER: - Further expansion of the role of The Hague as legal capital of the world. - More than previously, attention will be paid to 'new' cross-border themes such as migration, integration and globalisation. - In 2007, Dutch military will remain active in Afghanistan as part of ISAF. - The Netherlands will continue to be an important donor in Afghanistan. - The violence in Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories once again demonstrate the need for a comprehensive and permanent peace settlement in the Middle East. - The Netherlands will pay special attention to the creation of peace, security and political stability in the Great Lakes area in Africa and in the Horn of Africa (Sudan and Darfur). - The Netherlands will continue to support African partners on combating corruption, strengthening administrative capacity and better trade opportunities on the international market. - The government will work for sustainability and security of present energy provisions. - Meeting the international climate targets, among other methods via the use of renewable alternative energy sources. - The Netherlands wants transparency and mutually dependent relations on the world energy market, instead of one-sided dependent relationships and unanimity of the EU in the area of security of energy supplies in its contracts with important energy countries.
