The Netherlands and NATO

The Netherlands is one of NATO’s founding members

NATO is a political and military alliance between 32 countries in Europe and North America. The Netherlands is one of the 12 member countries that founded NATO in 1949. They did so to defend their freedom and security and, by extension, Western interests and principles such as prosperity and democracy.

NATO is important for the Netherlands’ security

The Netherlands joined NATO to ensure that its national security was better protected. It is understood that national security begins abroad. That’s because global threats such as terrorism, cyberattacks and the use of nuclear arms can also affect the Netherlands. It is therefore vital that the Netherlands maintains good relations with other countries and works with them to protect global stability. As a NATO ally:

• The Netherlands is better protected against major complex threats such as war, terrorism and cyberattacks. The Russian aggression in Ukraine, which marked the end of a long period of peace in Europe, is an example of such a threat. Climate change could lead to new conflicts or worsen existing ones. Countries rely on each other to prevent and combat such global threats.
• The Netherlands is in a stronger position thanks to the principle of collective defence. The Netherlands works together with other NATO allies to defend NATO territories. For example, NATO protects shipping routes in the Atlantic Ocean and around Europe. This is crucial for Dutch ports.
• Dutch values such as security, prosperity and democracy are better protected. Since 1945, partnerships within the context of NATO have ensured peace in Western Europe, which has allowed the Netherlands to prosper.
• The Netherlands works closely with other NATO allies. These partnerships are essential to identifying and resolving risks to the Netherlands’ security in a timely manner. NATO allies share a lot of information with each other regarding possible threats.

The Netherlands’ contributions to NATO

The Netherlands contributes to NATO in various ways:

• Exercises, missions and military deployment
  NATO allies’ armed forces often participate in NATO exercises so that they are prepared to take action if they need to. One of NATO’s operational headquarters is located in the Netherlands, in Brunssum. The Netherlands also participates in numerous major NATO exercises and missions. Each year the Netherlands also contributes military equipment such as ships, aircraft and army units to NATO. And the Netherlands is a major partner in the area of logistics. Other NATO allies transport military equipment through Dutch ports and airfields.
• Assistance in the event of an attack (Article 5)
  NATO allies protect one another. Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, all NATO countries agree to assist one another in the event of an attack. To date Article 5 has only ever been invoked once, following the terrorist attacks against the United States on 11 September 2001. The Netherlands contributed to operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001 by providing ships and aircraft. And the Netherlands participated in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), working from Uruzgan and Kandahar to ensure security. This was followed by training missions to strengthen the police and army in Afghanistan.