Benelux, police cooperation, Safety

Benelux and Limburg partners strengthen the fight against cross-border crime

12 May. 2026

Authorities and security services from Dutch and Belgian Limburg are seeking to further strengthen their cooperation in tackling cross-border crime. This emerged on Tuesday during the third edition of the Limburg Security Round Table in Brussels, an initiative of the governors of both provinces.

The round table was opened by Governor Emile Roemer (Dutch Limburg) and supported by Governor Jos Lantmeeters (Belgian Limburg). They brought together policymakers, police and judicial authorities to make concrete agreements for a more effective approach to organised crime in the border region.

Focus on practical cooperation
Benelux Union Deputy Secretary-General Liesje Schreinemacher underlined the importance of cooperation:
“Criminals do not respect borders. Police and judicial authorities should not either. By working together, we can act faster and make our region safer.”

According to Schreinemacher, the initiative by the Limburg governors clearly demonstrates the strength of the Benelux: practical cooperation that delivers immediate benefits for citizens and businesses.

Police Treaty as a foundation
The meeting focused on the Benelux Police Treaty, which has been in force since 2023. The treaty enables cross-border police cooperation, including joint patrols, information exchange and cross-border pursuits.

In the Limburg region, these tools are already being actively used. They allow police forces to support each other more quickly and respond more effectively to crime that spans multiple countries.

Limburg as a model region
The governors stressed that border regions such as Limburg are crucial for putting cooperation into practice. According to the Benelux Union, the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion can serve as a model for broader European cooperation.
“More and more, the Benelux is seen as a laboratory for Europe. The Meuse-Rhine Euroregion is a testing ground where we develop solutions that can be applied elsewhere,” Schreinemacher said.

Further strengthening cooperation
The round table also addressed next steps, including working towards a joint police operation and expanding cooperation with Germany. The further development of EURIEC was also discussed, a centre that supports administrative cooperation and information exchange in the fight against organised crime.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to further deepen existing cooperation, develop concrete follow-up actions and reconvene before the end of 2026.