The foreign policy of the Netherlands
The traditional objectives of Dutch foreign policy are maintaining good relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and other countries, protecting the country against outside threats and promoting a just world where peace, security, welfare and human dignity are guaranteed.

The foreign policy of the Netherlands not only strives to balance the nation’s own interests, with broader values, such as human rights and peace, freedom and prosperity for all nations, but also to be cohesive and effective, especially in the co-ordination of decision making, organisation and funding.

For a complete run-down of the main policy themes, organisational structure and funding of current Dutch foreign policy please visit the web-site of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.minbuza.nl (Dutch and English).

For the region of Southeast Europe the foreign policy of the Netherlands is spelled out in greater detail in the notice Western Balkans, the Netherlands role in a changing landscape, that can be found on the web-site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.minbuza.nl (Dutch and English).

Moral issues
The Netherlands has always been a country where freedom of thought has been respected. In some aspects of life, the Netherlands has been in the forefront. In particular, issues like the use of drugs, euthanasia, abortion and marriage between persons of the same sex have given rise to controversy and lack of understanding. More can be read on these issues on the web-site of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.minbuza.nl, the Netherlands Ministry of Justice www.minjus.nl and the Netherlands Ministry of Health www.minvws.nl.

Bilateral Treaties
Click here for an overview of the bilateral treaties between the Netherlands and Albania (Dutch language only).

Development Co-operation Activities
The Kingdom of the Netherlands maintains a structural development relationship with the Republic of Albania that focuses on the promotion of Good Governance and the Process of Democratisation, budget  € 4 million/year. A great deal of attention goes to decentralisation/local government, civil society and people’s participation. To be considered specifically are the promotion of Parliamentary Democracy and Human Rights. In this framework projects that provide help to victims of human trafficking are also supported. Since 2003 the Embassy finances environmental protection projects. More modestly the Embassy has means to support Micro-Projects, the so-called PKP-projects. These can be related to development co-operation as well as to political or cultural activities.