The European Union and its Relations with the Dutch Citizens

The Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV) decided to write this advisory letter in response to the Dutch referendum of 1 June 2005 on the Treaty established a Constitution for Europe. To prepare the letter, the AIV set up a working group with members drawn from the permanent committees on European integration (CEI), human rights (CMR) and peace and security (CVV) and tow co-opted members, since the Council does not generally concern itself with the domestic aspects of international issues. The entire European Integration Committee was also directly involved in preparing this advisory letter. The importance of the European Union to the Netherlands can scarcely be overstated. Ever more frequently, the Netherlands finds itself facing problems requiring an international solution, either at EU or global level. In such cases the EU can act to protect our interest vis-à-vis other major world players. But the EU also possesses unquestionable importance in generating prosperity and suppressing conflict. As a project involving the peaceful pooling of sovereignty, it is unique in history and something to nurture carefully. That is precisely why the AIV decided that – partly in the light of earlier recommendations on the benefits of and need for European integration – it should rapidly prepare recommendations on how to narrow the gap between Europe and the Dutch people and hence help break the impasse that has arisen since the referendum. The general public needs to be able to follow Project Europe, and preferably to communicate its criticism of it; it should not turn away form it. That is the focal point of these recommendations. In this brief advisory letter, the AIV will confine itself to Dutch policymakers.