The Benelux ( Be lgique- derland- Lux embourg) indicates the meeting of the Belgium, the Netherlands and the Luxembourg, three Monarchie S neighbors which maintain a closer economic cooperation, in particular to form a stronger economic entity vis-a-vis countries much larger.

The Benelux countries

The term “the Benelux countries” is an acronym formed starting from the first letters of each one of these countries: Be lgic, derland (“Netherlands” in Dutch) and Lux embourg.

Official languages and distribution

The Dutch the French and German (in the Cantons of the east) is the three official languages of the BENELUX COUNTRIES and its institutions: Dutch, because of the Netherlands and the Flanders; French, because of French-speaking Belgium and Luxembourg and German in German-speaking Belgium.

It should be noted that on a population of 27 million inhabitants to the Benelux countries:

  • 83% is Dutch-speaking, that is to say 22,5 million people, divided between 16,5 million Dutch and 6 Flemish million ;
  • 17% is French-speaking, that is to say 4,7 million people, divided between 4,2 million Wallons and Of Brussels (French-speaking Belgium) and 0,5 million Luxembourg (which speaks also German and their national language, Luxemburgish).

Origins

The three countries which constitutes the Benelux countries were always closely dependant during the history. The old Spanish Netherlands, then Austrian gathered the majority of the countries concerned. These strong historical links answer of the economic links: the various zones of the Benelux countries always were in narrow economic interdependence. At the 19th century, Belgium and Luxembourg become independent and, very quickly, the need for an economic union appears.

The construction of the Benelux countries

The signature, on July 25th, 1921, of the treaty creating the Belgo-Luxembourg economic Union can be seen as the first steps of the Benelux countries (the economic borders are raised and the currencies are bound by a fixed parity). It is however only in 1944, into full Second world war, that the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg are appropriate to remove the customs duties with their common borders and to fix a common taxation for the goods coming from outside. This policy free-trader is inspired by the failure of the protectionist policies followed in the years 1930 following the crisis of 1929.

September 5th, 1944, the treaty is signed, but it is expected that it takes up duty only on January 1st, 1948 (the three governments, in exile in London, spare one period plug necessary to the rebuilding). The Benelux countries has vocation to allow the free-circulation of the people, the goods and the services.

The Benelux countries rises from the close links which link Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg after the Second world war and lead them to make identical choices, beyond the economic cooperation. Thus, the three States of the Benelux countries adhere on March 17th, 1948 to UEO (France, the United Kingdom and Benelux) in order to be protected from the Germany. In 1949, the Member States of the Benelux countries adhere to NATO.

Quickly, the Benelux countries was incorporated at broader zones of economic integration and sometimes more ambitious than him: OEEC in 1948, ECSC in 1951 then the EEC in 1957. If it thus lost part of its raison d'être, it has the merit to have been one of the basic cores of European construction.

Operation

The economic Union Benelux was instituted by the treaty of February 3rd, 1958.

Institutionnellement, it includes/understands:

  • a General secretary, bench with Brussels, and which ensures of the functions of logistics and good officess. The current general secretary is, since January 1st, 2007, Netherlander J.P.R.M. van Laarhoven. Its predecessor was the Netherlander B.M.J. Hennekam (according to 1990 to 2006);
  • a Committee of the ministers, executive body where the rule of the unanimity applies. Its supreme formation gathers the Foreign Ministers of the three States, but of other ministers can take part on a case-by-case basis;
  • the Council of the Union, which gathers the directions of the various commissions sets of themes of the Union, and can meet in formation of management (“administrative questions”);
  • the parliamentary Council advisory, known as “Parliament the Benelux countries”, gathering members of Parliament of the three countries; it has a role of deliberation and recommendation but not of legislative power;
  • a Court of justice, with the functions to some extent similar to those of the Court of justice of the European Communities: resolution of questions put by the national judges, interpretation of the right Benelux countries, internal administrative dispute.
  • an Office of the marks, managing the marks recorded in a common way since 1962.

External bonds

Official site of the Benelux countries

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