The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, met with his Dutch counterpart, Hanke Bruins Slot, in Amsterdam. At the meeting, held as part of the visit of Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to the Netherlands, Albares and Bruins highlighted the good relationship between the two countries.
During the meeting, the ministers reviewed the future EU’s Strategic Agenda, with special emphasis on enlargement, the forthcoming elections to the European Parliament, and Open Strategic Autonomy. The ministers also signed joint declarations on Feminist Foreign Policy and on European Strategic Cooperation.
The Middle East situation, the war of aggression against Ukraine and the upcoming NATO summit in Washington were among the other topics discussed at the meeting.
Feminist approach to foreign policy
Spain and the Netherlands share a common commitment to gender equality and the rights of women and girls around the world, as well as their efforts to further advance the rights of LGTBIQ+ people and to foster dialogue to promote a feminist approach in international relations.
To achieve these objectives, in the joint declaration on maintaining a feminist approach to foreign policy, Spain and the Netherlands have agreed to hold regular annual consultations to shape feminist foreign policies; and to jointly organise training on Feminist Foreign Policy.
European Strategic Cooperation
The geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges facing the EU and the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation to address them were the subject of another joint political declaration.
Spain and the Netherlands have reiterated their commitment to the European project and its values, reaffirming the priorities and actions necessary to achieve a strong, dynamic, competitive and cohesive Europe, as set out in the Granada Declaration of the Council of the EU, which was adopted during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2023.
In this regard, the declaration calls for the EU to strengthen its role as a geopolitical actor, investing more in defence and amplifying its voice on the world stage. It also seeks to build a competitive and open economy, strengthening the single market and fostering new and mutually beneficial partnerships, while also stimulating international cooperation and sustainable development worldwide.