Benelux Countries Urged to Adopt September 5th as 'Benelux Day'
In a ceremony spearheaded by the Secretariat-General, representatives from the three Benelux institutions, P. van Ballekom (Chairman of the Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly), B. Deconink (President of the Benelux Court of Justice), F. Weekers (Secretary-General of the Benelux Secretariat-General), and R. Gustafsson (Director-General of the Benelux Organization for Intellectual Property), jointly signed a letter urging the three Benelux countries to adopt a political declaration designating September 5th as Benelux Day, to be celebrated annually.
The choice of September 5th holds special significance as it marks the date on which the Dutch-Belgian-Luxembourg Customs Agreement was signed in 1944 by the three governments in exile in London. Hence, this date can be commemorated as the inception of Benelux cooperation.
Since its establishment, the Benelux Union has been a pioneer in cross-border collaboration, serving as a model for regional integration and a testing ground for European cooperation. The Benelux is committed to delivering tangible results for citizens, businesses, and public institutions in the fields of economy, security, and sustainability.
Recent examples of this commitment include cross-border police cooperation, mutual diploma recognition, initiatives for more robust and sustainable freight transport, and joint road inspections.
The objective of this initiative is to spotlight the added value of this cooperation, which often serves as a blueprint for subsequent European endeavors. It aims to bring this valuable tradition to the attention of the broader public, contributing to a greater visibility of the strong ties between our three nations.
