The Hague has been the seat of the Dutch Government since 1585 and has gradually developed as one of the global centres of international law. From the creation in the nineteenth century of the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the First Hague Peace Conference, instituted by Tsar Nicholas II in 1899, The Hague now hosts many important international legal institutions.

The UK has historically been a strong supporter of the international legal institutions in The Hague, which now represent one of the focal points of UK efforts to promote the international rule of law. In 2008 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) launched its "new strategic framework" which brings clarity to the FCO's work based on Departmental Strategic Objectives.  The UK's Departmental Strategic Objective is:

To promote effective and efficient international (judicial) institutions.
The British Embassy's International Law Section includes a permanent Legal Adviser. The Section's objective is to liaise with, report on and provide practical support to the international legal institutions in The Hague, as part of UK efforts to support and promote an international system based on the rule of law.