The Benelux Committee of Ministers

The Committee of Ministers is the highest decision-making body of the Benelux Union. It consists of at least one representative at ministerial level from all three countries. The ministers set the direction and priorities for cooperation across the Benelux. The composition of the Committee may vary from meeting to meeting, depending on the agenda.

The Benelux Council

The Benelux Council consists of senior officials from the relevant ministries. Its main task is to prepare dossiers for ministers. Once again, the exact composition of the Council varies depending on the agenda.

The Secretariat-General of the Benelux

The Secretariat-General of the Benelux initiates, supports and monitors cooperation on the economy, sustainability and safety.

The Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly (the Benelux Parliament)

The Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly has 49 members delegated by the parliaments of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The members inform and advise their respective governments on all Benelux-related issues.

The Benelux Court of Justice

The Benelux Court of Justice has specific jurisdiction over the uniform interpretation of common rules of law (in areas such as intellectual property, penalty payments, motor vehicle liability insurance etc.). To this end, national judges can — or must, in certain cases — refer any questions of interpretation to the Benelux Court of Justice. The Benelux Court of Justice is also competent to rule on appeals against final decisions of the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property. Depending on the nature of the case, the Court is composed either of magistrates chosen from the members of the Belgian Court of Cassation, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands and the Superior Court of Justice of Luxembourg, or of magistrates chosen from the members of the Courts of Appeal of Belgium, the Courts of Appeal of the Netherlands and the Court of Appeal of Luxembourg.