On September 5th, we celebrate 80 years of Benelux cooperation
05 Sep. 2024
Today, under the Belgian presidency, we are celebrating 80 years of Benelux cooperation with various events at the Egmont Palace in Brussels. Yves Leterme, Jan Peter Balkenende, and Jean Asselborn will officially receive the Benelux Euro coin set 2024. The coin set is a joint issuance of the Royal Mint of Belgium, the Royal Dutch Mint, and the Central Bank of Luxembourg.
The former (vice) prime ministers of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg will also mint a special commemorative coin at the palace square. Additionally, they will engage in a debate with members of the European Youth Parliament from the three Benelux countries and students from North Rhine-Westphalia. And of course, there will be celebrations, including a special performance by the Belgian Customs Orchestra.
Closer Cooperation
On September 5th, exactly 80 years ago, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance of our three governments in exile signed a long-awaited treaty in London. The goal of closer cooperation between three like-minded countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg was obvious. The governments in exile decided to take the first steps in 1944, even before the end of the war.
The agreement on the customs union was the first major milestone that contributed to the creation of the European Union as we know it today: a political and economic partnership with 27 member states. It was the first, but certainly not the last milestone in the 80-year history of the Benelux.
Benelux Economic Union
On February 3rd, 1958, the Benelux Economic Union was established in The Hague. This new treaty introduced the free movement of goods, persons, capital, and services within the Benelux borders. It is no coincidence that this coincided with the creation of the European Economic Community.
Fifty years later, on June 17th, 2008, the economic union was renamed the Benelux Union, the name we still use today. From that moment on, the focus was no longer solely on the internal market but also on cooperation in the fields of sustainability and security. This was in line with the gradual expansion of Benelux cooperation that had emerged in practice and tied to the intensive political cooperation between the three countries.
Testing Ground
As the EU grew larger, the Benelux had the advantage of acting as a regional unit within the more complex European Union, allowing decisions to be made more easily and quickly than within the EU.
Thus, the Benelux repeatedly served as a testing ground for Europe. The union developed into a laboratory where innovative cooperation models were tested. If initiatives worked within the Benelux, they could be expanded and applied at the EU level as well. A well-known example is the Schengen Agreement of 1985—an extension of the already existing visa-free travel within the Benelux.
Benelux Day
Other examples of successful Benelux cooperation include the Benelux Police Treaty, which facilitates cross-border police operations between the three countries, and the mutual recognition of diplomas, which makes it easier for students and professionals to work and study across borders. These initiatives highlight the pioneering role of the Benelux within Europe.
From now on, every year on September 5th will be #BeneluxDay. An official day to celebrate our past successes, cherish our relationships, and look ahead to many future cooperation projects with all our partners within and beyond the borders of the Benelux Union. Because together we are stronger and smarter. “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.”
https://www.flickr.com/photos/belgiummfa/albums/72177720320099698
