National security

The government has developed a strategy to strengthen our national security. By charting the various risks in collaboration with other parties, setting priorities and taking the necessary measures, we can ensure the Netherlands is better prepared for threats such as flu pandemics and terrorist attacks.

• What do we mean by national security?
• Why do we need a strategy?
• Which changes can we expect?

What do we mean by national security?
The danger of flooding, bird flu, terrorism, … There are many potential threats to our country. Each of these threats puts a strain on our national security. National security is under threat when vital interests of the Dutch state and society are harmed to the extent that society can become destabilised. These vital interests are:            

A potential threat to

territorial security	the threat or occurrence of (terrorist) attacks on Dutch soil
economic security	the breakdown of overseas trade or an ICT malfunction
ecological safety	an environmental disaster or disruption of the drinking water supply
physical safety	a dyke breach or epidemic
social and political stability	tension between various ethnic groups

National security encompasses both breach of security by intentional human actions (security) and breach due to disasters, system or process faults, human failure or natural anomalies such as extreme weather (safety). 

Why do we need a strategy?
The strategy allows the government to identify potential threats to our national security. What are the most urgent threats, what do we have to do in order to avert them and how should our country respond in the event that something does go wrong? In other words: the strategy will help the Netherlands remain in control.

The new approach will allow signals of potential threats to be identified at an earlier stage, by systematically linking information streams and cross-referencing developments. How do political problems elsewhere in the world affect our oil supply? How much will our energy requirements change if summers become warmer and we need more air conditioning and refrigerators? Threats are increasingly interwoven, requiring closer cooperation between the various ministries.

The strategy formulates a method of weighing various interests. Money, after all, can only be spent once. Which investment deserves top priority: preparing vaccinations, fighting cyber crime or tackling the problems in deprived neighbourhoods? The new approach will allow for different threats to be measured by the same standard. As a result, decisions can be made on the basis of a clear overview of our overall national security.

Which changes can we expect?
In April 2007, the government approved the national security strategy, initiating the start of implementation. 2007 and 2008 will see a prioritisation of climate change, the securing of energy supplies, and the issues of radicalisation and polarisation. An assessment will also be made of our nation’s preparedness for a large-scale evacuation. From 2009 onwards, the new approach will have been fully implemented and will be broadened to include other threats to our national security (such as digital paralysis or animal diseases).

The responsibility for overseeing the strengthening of our national security lies with the government (the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations). However, a safe living environment in the Netherlands will require the efforts of all parties: municipalities and security regions, knowledge institutions, implementing bodies, industry, societal organisations and international partners. This is why the government will be cooperating more intensively with these parties in order to get a firmer grip on our national security.