Brexit happened, now it’s time for a reset
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Paul Huijts recently took up his new role as the Dutch ambassador to the United Kingdom, one of the Netherlands’ most important neighbours. He sees how the friendship between our countries has endured, despite the changes that Brexit has brought: ‘Our ties are deep. We work together in every imaginable area.’
What’s it like to be the ambassador to the United Kingdom?
‘It’s brilliant. This country is fascinating and full of history, which you encounter everywhere. And whether we’re talking about defence, trade or culture, the ties between the Netherlands and the UK are deep. We work together in every imaginable area.
Besides that, it’s an interesting time in terms of political developments. The UK recently elected a new government that wants to reset relations with the European Union. It’s up to us to try and take advantage of that together in the coming years.’
What does this reset entail, in terms of our relationship with the UK?
‘It’s a term that the new Labour government has been using. They’re saying: “Yes, Brexit happened, but we want to go back to being a constructive partner”. That attitude offers perspectives. We’re looking together at how we can make our day-to-day cooperation a bit easier again. For instance on things like trade protocols, so that businesses at both ends face fewer obstacles.
The free movement of goods and people that we have in the EU no longer exists here. There’s no denying that. But it doesn’t mean all doors are closed. Every step we can take to make life easier for people and businesses is a step in the right direction. Our embassy is working on that.’
What topics do the United Kingdom and the Netherlands work together on?
‘We work very closely with the UK in many areas. It continues to be one of our most important economic partners, despite Brexit. That cooperation generates a lot of jobs and income for the Netherlands. And it’s why the embassy has a big economic section and a branch of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), to encourage investment in the Netherlands.
We also have representatives from ministries such as Health, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Education, Justice, Agriculture, as well as a police liaison and the Public Prosecution Service. All of that shows how closely involved our countries are. What’s more, around 160,000 Dutch nationals live in the UK and hundreds of thousands visit each year as tourists or on business. That means we do a lot of work relating to visas and passports.
The Netherlands and the UK have been cooperating on defence for decades, and that’s an area that’s more relevant than ever given the ongoing war in Ukraine. As a nuclear weapons state, the UK plays a key role in NATO. Whether the concern is cybersecurity or threats on our eastern flank, our countries need each other.’
What is the role of the North Sea Neighbours Conference?
‘The Netherlands and the UK organise the North Sea Neighbours Conference together each year. It’s an opportunity for us to strengthen our cooperation as neighbours on either side of the North Sea. This year’s conference is in London and will focus on economic growth.
What’s special this time is that it will coincide with a trade mission led by our Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, which has a specific focus on the life sciences and health sector. The Netherlands is a strong performer in this sector, with businesses like Philips Medical Systems as well as innovative startups and research institutes.
More than 30 businesses from the sector will join the mission to the United Kingdom. Together with our British partners, we’ll be looking for ways to expand cooperation further. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs will also be travelling to London to meet his UK counterpart and discuss international issues.’
'To really understand the UK, you have to leave the London bubble.'
What have you been doing to gain a better understanding of the United Kingdom?
‘Central London is amazing. There’s an incredible amount of wealth here, but it’s not representative of the city as a whole, let alone the entire country. Areas away from the city have a completely different set of challenges and opportunities. That’s why I’m deliberately travelling to places outside of London and visiting our 11 honorary consuls in all the different regions. They can tell me about the issues where they are. To really understand the UK, you have to leave the London bubble.’
What do you do to relax?
‘My wife and I enjoy walking around London. It’s a great city to explore on foot, and we live next to Hyde Park, where I’ll often go for a run. We’ve also started taking piano lessons together, since there is a grand piano in the residence. I don’t see us becoming concert pianists, obviously, but it is fun to play.'
What do you hope to achieve in the coming years?
‘Our main goal is to keep relations between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom as smooth as possible. Brexit has made some things more complicated, but that doesn’t mean we should give up. We want to look at where we can remove obstacles, especially for businesses and the large number of Dutch nationals who live here.
International cooperation is another major focus. With instability increasing around the world, we must continue to work together to protect our security and stability. At the embassy, we’re doing our best to achieve just that.’
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