Go to content

Organisation of government communications

A number of different bodies are involved in making, implementing and assessing central government communications policy. These includes the Government Information Service (RVD), ministry communications departments, the Information Council (VoRa), the Public Information and  Communications Service (DPC) and various centres of expertise.

Government Information Service (RVD)

The Government Information Service (RVD) is part of the Ministry of General Affairs. It coordinates and implements general central government communications policy, and is responsible for:

  • media relations for the prime minister and government;
  • providing information on general government policy, the prime minister and the Ministry of General Affairs;
  • media relations and information concerning members of the Royal House.

Ministry communications departments

All ministries have a central communications or information department. Their most important tasks are:

  • maintaining relations with and informing the media;
  • providing communications advice;
  • carrying out public opinion surveys;
  • coordinating ministry communications

Information Council

The Information Council (VoRa) is an advisory board comprising senior civil servants. It is the main interministerial consultative body on government communications. Its members are the directors of ministry communications departments. The council is chaired by the director-general of the Government Information Service (RVD).

The council's tasks include:

  • helping to draw up rules and guidelines on government communications;
  • developing the general central government communications policy and advising the cabinet about this.

Public Information and Communications Service (DPC)

The Ministry of General Affairs’ Public Information and Communications Service (DPC) helps central government communicate with the public. Communication advisers, media specialists, editors, campaign managers and researchers work together with the ministries to ensure central government communicates optimally.

The Public Information Service is part of DPC. It responds to questions to ministries from members of the public. Answers to frequently asked questions can be found in English on Government.nl and in Dutch on Rijksoverheid.nl. Members of the public can also ask questions by phone, email, X or WhatsApp. For more information, see the Public Information Service's contact details page.

Centres of expertise

The National Crisis Centre (NCC) coordinates information for the public during national disasters and crises. The NCC is staffed 24 hours a day.

  • Human Resources Expertise Centre (UBR|EC O&P)

The Human Resources Expertise Centre (UBR|EC O&P) is responsible for central government's communications as an employer. One example is the 'Werken voor Nederland' ('Working for the Netherlands') campaign and the Werkenvoornederland.nl website, which now has a centralised vacancy database.