Relationship dossier
Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom
Relationship assessment
Close Netherlands–United Kingdom ties, with sustained defense cooperation and some Brexit-related friction.
Kingdom of the Netherlands toward United Kingdom
+55The Dutch government participates in the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force and has pursued defense cooperation with the United Kingdom under a bilateral defense vision. Dutch policy also supports cooperation with the UK through NATO.
United Kingdom toward Kingdom of the Netherlands
+55The UK government has included the Netherlands in the Joint Expeditionary Force and pursued bilateral defense cooperation under a joint vision. The UK also works with the Netherlands through NATO.
Overall relationship
+55The relationship has a durable security partnership, supported by bilateral defense cooperation and participation in NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force. Brexit-related trade and fisheries issues have created some friction, but the broader relationship remains substantially cooperative.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Netherlands and the United Kingdom maintain a close, sustained relationship, with defense and security cooperation as a major feature. Both participate in the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, and a bilateral defense vision has provided a framework for cooperation. The countries also work together through NATO. Brexit has added some friction, including around fisheries and trade, but has not displaced their broader security partnership.
Areas of tension
- Brexit-related trade and fisheries issues, including North Sea fishing arrangements.
Key developments
The United Kingdom and the Netherlands established the Joint Expeditionary Force framework, which includes Dutch participation.
The two governments set out a joint vision for bilateral defense cooperation.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral defense cooperation are unclear.
- The extent to which Brexit-related trade and fisheries issues continue to affect government relations is uncertain.