The Ministry is responsible for the foreign policy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has eight goals:

• To strengthen the international legal order and respect for human rights.
• To promote security and stability, effective humanitarian assistance, and good governance.
• To strengthen European cooperation.
• To increase wealth worldwide and fight poverty.
• To promote human and social development.
• To protect and improve the environment.
• To promote the welfare and safety of Dutch nationals abroad and to regulate the movement of persons
• To raise the Netherlands’ cultural profile and help create a positive image within and beyond the Netherlands
  
  

  The Ministry building

  The ministry has several different independent agencies:

  • Advisory Council on International Affairs, which adivises the ministry on foreign affairs.
  • Advisory Committee on Issues of Public International Law, which advises with international public law.
  • Netherlands Development Assistance Research Council, which advises the ministry on international development.
  • Government Committee on Private International Law, which advises with international private law.
  • Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries aids developing countries in selling their products and services in the European Union.
  • National Committee for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development, manages the funds for international development that are spent by civil society.
    

    Since the 1990s there have been three political leaders of the ministry of foreign affairs: the minister (called M), the minister without portfolio for international development (called R) and the state secretary for European affairs (called T). The state secretary of European Affairs has the right to call himself Minister of European Affairs outside of the Netherlands.

    • 2010-now Uri Rosenthal (VVD)
      • 2010-now Ben Knapen (CDA, state secretary for European affairs and international development)
    • 2007–2010 Maxime Verhagen (CDA)
      • 2007–2010 Bert Koenders (PvdA; minister for international development)
      • 2007–2010 Frans Timmermans (PvdA; state secretary for European affairs)
    • 2003-2007 Ben Bot (CDA)
      • 2003-2007 Agnes van Ardenne (CDA; minister for international development)
      • 2002-2006 Atzo Nicolai (VVD; state secretary for European affairs)
    • 2002-2003 Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (CDA)
      • 2002-2003 Agnes van Ardenne (CDA; state secretary for international development)
    • 1998-2002 Jozias van Aartsen (VVD)
      • 1998-2002 Eveline Herfkens (PvdA; minister for international development)
      • 1998-2002 Dick Benschop (PvdA; state secretary for European affairs)
    • 1994-1998 Hans van Mierlo (D66)
      • 1994-1998 Jan Pronk (PvdA; minister for international development)
      • 1994-1998 Michiel Patijn (VVD; state secretary for European Affairs)