Poland in the Netherlands

Historical view 

Although the official diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Poland were established only in 1919, mutual contacts through the deputies and ambassadors reach back to the second half of the sixteenth century. From that period to the third partition of Poland, the sources mention the names of as many as 30 deputies / ambassadors traveling to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

After Poland regained its independence, bilateral diplomatic relations were officially established on July 4, 1919. On that day, Queen Wilhelmina agreed to authorize the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Herman van Karnebeeka, to inform Polish Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ignacy Jan Paderewski about the official recognition of the new, independent Polish state. Chargé d'affaires ad interim Jan Włodek as been appointed as the head of the mission on September 13, 1919.

During World War II, Polish soldiers took part in the battles for the liberation of Dutch cities (especially the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade of Gen. Sosabowski in Market Garden operation as well as the 1st Armored Division of Gen. Maczek liberating Breda).

After 1945, due to the introduction of the communist system in Poland, the official Polish-Dutch relations were significantly limited, but the cultural exchange remained intense. In the 80's the Embassy noted great involvement of Dutch politicians and society in the activities of "Solidarity" and their fierce opposition to the imposition of martial law (including action: “Een pak van je Hart voor Polen” (Package - the gift of your heart to Polan) and a convoy of 120 trucks with gifts from Dutch society). After 1989, the Netherlands actively supported the new, democratic Polish authorities in their efforts to become a member of NATO and the EU.

Political cooperation after 1989

2019 is a year of the 100th anniversary of establishing bilateral diplomatic relations between Poland and the Netherlands. This is also an important date for celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands, as Polish soldiers took an active part in the battles with the German occupant for the liberation of this country.  Although common history plays an important role in the development of PL-NL relations, contemporary political cooperation is equally important, supported by a dynamic agenda of meetings. The last one is favored by the convergence of PL-NL positions at many points of the European agenda (including the emphasis on the development of the EU single market and the digital agenda, energy security, the importance of EU-NATO cooperation) and international agenda (eg cooperation in non-proliferation area and as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council in 2018). An important mechanism of bilateral consultations is the Utrecht Conference, established by the ministers of foreign affairs of Poland and the Netherlands in 1999, primarily to support the integration of Poland with the EU and the development of bilateral relations. Presently, the annual sessions of the Utrecht Conference, taking place in turns in Poland and the Netherlands, serve to deepen cooperation between the ministries of both countries on political, economic, social or defense issues, especially in the context of the EU. The conference model served as a model for the Skopje, Tbilisi and Belgrade conferences. The XXVIII edition of this meeting took place in Poland in October 2018, combined with consultations of foreign ministers. A series of Lectures in the honour of Professor B. Geremek, established in 2009, is another supplement to the Polish Dutch dialogue. Everyday cooperation is also based on regular study visits and expert meetings. 

Economic cooperation between Poland and the Netherlands is dynamic - in 2018 the mutual trade turnover exceeded EUR 18 billion, and the Netherlands is the largest foreign investor in Poland, with investments reaching the level of EUR 34 billion. Since 2017, the largest Polish investment in the Netherlands is the beverage can factory Canpack in the city of Helmond, worth over 100 million euros. Toruńskie Zakłady Materiałów Opatrunkowych (TZMO Benelux, with its headquarters in 's-Hertogenbosch) has become another important player on the local market, supplying with its products 30% of Dutch hospitals. The development of economic contacts and promotion of investment opportunities in Poland are supported by numerous joint initiatives, the most important of which was the organization of the Polish-Dutch Business Forum in The Hague in April 2019 with the participation of, among others, Minister of Technology of the Republic of Poland Jadwiga Emilewicz, attended by round 150 entrepreneurs. An important element of bilateral ties is the Polish diaspora - according to estimated data, over 300,000 Poles live and work in the Netherlands, contributing to the development of its economy. 

Links:
Foreign Trade Office in Amsterdam

Formally, cultural cooperation between Poland and the Netherlands was established on August 22, 1967 with the signing of a "Cultural Agreement between the Government of the Polish People's Republic and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands". The contract included cooperation in the field of education, culture and science. The formal cooperation was coordinated by the Mixed Commission, consisting of members of both countries who took care of the compliance with the provisions of the agreement. Currently, the main areas of the Embassy's activity within the scope of public and cultural diplomacy is promoting Polish cultural institutions, cultural events as well as individual artists and creators in the Netherlands. In addition, we promote Polish historical and political thought. The Embassy organizes and supports activities aimed at promoting tourism, sport, education and the Polish language. We promote the development of cultural PL-NL cooperation by co-organizing with the Dutch entities events in the field of public and cultural diplomacy, enabling the Dutch society to learn about Polish culture and history. As an element of these actions, in recent years we have been co-organizers of: Chopin concerts, the information campaign "Do you know that…" on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of regaining independence by Poland, Visegrad film festivals and and the Independence Film Festival. We promoted the Strzemiński-Kobro exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, and organized the exhibition "Kilisze pamięci. Labirynty” by M. Kołodziej and historical lectures, e.g. about W. Pilecki or the 1000-year anniversary of Polish-Jewish relations. For several years, we have been actively promoting the Polish language as part of the campaign called: "Ik spreek Pools" (I speak Polish).    

The embassy regularly cooperates with Dutch universities and high schools, including the UvA in Amsterdam, the University of Utrecht, the University of Leiden, the Haagse Hooge School and the Technical University of Delft. Polish Embassy is a participant or co-organizer of cultural events, meetings, lectures, and congresses. The consular section of the Embassy also cares for regular contact and good relations with Polish scientists and specialists living permanently or periodically in the Netherlands.