DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

17 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Dutch back Marrakesh agreement, but draw up legal addendum

November 29, 2018
Photo: Depositphotos.com
Photo: Depositphotos.com

The Dutch cabinet will continue to support the Marrakesh migration agreement but will come with an additional declaration to prevent unintentional legal consequences, the Volkskrant reported on Thursday.

The four coalition parties have reached agreement on principle on the additional document, known as an EOP or explanation of position, the paper said. The wording is likely to be approved at Friday’s cabinet meeting, sources told the paper.

Junior immigration minister Mark Harbers has held meetings with the coalition parties this week to finalise the text, which will be submitted at the UN meeting on the migration pact in Morocco next month.

The aim of the EOP is to reaffirm that UN pact will not lead to additional jurisprudence, thereby stopping refugees using it as an extra legal support in asylum claims.

Harbers has also pledged to provide a legal analysis of the pact to parliament next week, so it can be debated before the Marrakesh meeting.

Divisions

Dutch MPs are divided on the pact which aims to regulate the treatment of migrants worldwide, and which was approved in July by all 193 member states except the United States.

The pact aims to reduce illegal migration, boost the integration of migrants and make it easier to return them to their home countries by stimulating countries to work together. The provisions are not binding and countries are free to set their own immigration policy.

In the Netherlands, the anti-immigration PVV, fundamentalist Christian SGP and right-wing populist FvD are opposed to the pact. Australia, Israel, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria have all refused to sign the pact, saying it will weaken their own immigration controls.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Europe
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Election watch: D66 on the rise, Yesilgöz says no
Amsterdam's PvdA branch wants to ban tourists from coffeeshops
The magic of Egypt: mummies take centre stage in Leiden
Saturday will be sunny, but the grey skies will return next week
Privacy watchdog hands €2.7 m fine to credit score firm Experian
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now