The UK and the Netherlands are old and close friends. Relations between our two countries go back to the Middle Ages. A shared belief in Protestantism later promoted strong political ties. In the 16th century Queen Elizabeth I described the Dutch as our “most ancient and familiar neighbours”.

 

Relations between our two countries were particularly strong in the period following the end of the Second World War. Since the war, our common membership of the institutions of post-war Europe, including NATO and the EU, have brought us even closer.

 

In 1999 Prime Ministers Blair and Kok agreed a “Framework for the Future” to strengthen further the bilateral relationship. The cornerstone was a new bilateral conference series: the Apeldoorn Conference