State dossier
Netherlands
NLD · NETHERLANDS (KINGDOM OF THE) · on the world map
What does it want?
Position: wants a treaty with bans (LBI-BAN). Supports a legally binding treaty that prohibits some systems.
Wants a treaty with bans (LBI-BAN), since 2024-04-26, stated directly (EXPLICIT)
In its 2024 submission to the Secretary-General, the Netherlands said that autonomous weapons that cannot be used in line with international law must be prohibited by a legally binding instrument, preferably a new protocol to the Geneva convention, and that other types need further regulation. That is a treaty with bans in a two-tier form. The submission says the 2022 government letter to parliament is the basis of this policy, so the position likely predates the submission; the date marks the earliest record opened. The Netherlands voted Yes on all three UN resolutions.
The Netherlands says AWS that cannot comply with international law must be prohibited through a legally binding instrument, preferably a new CCW protocol.
must be explicitly prohibited through a legally binding instrument, preferably by adding a new protocol to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Kingdom of the Netherlands: Submission in accordance with resolution 78/241 on autonomous weapons systems, 2024-04-26 source
The submission places all other AWS under regulation, the second tier.
Other types of AWS require further regulation.
Kingdom of the Netherlands: Submission in accordance with resolution 78/241 on autonomous weapons systems, 2024-04-26 source
The submission asks a new legally binding instrument to define the categories the prohibition covers.
a new international legally binding instrument, such as a new protocol to the CCW, should clearly delineate the types of AWS
Kingdom of the Netherlands: Submission in accordance with resolution 78/241 on autonomous weapons systems, 2024-04-26 source
Shown large among its peers · hover a mark for its position
How did it vote?
Yes on all three UN votes on autonomous weapons.
Hover a legend chip to light those votes · each resolution links to its record
What has it signed?
Being on a list is a fact. Not being on one is not opposition.
Hover a column heading to light its signings · click a seal to open the document
When has it spoken?
Every time it went on the record, dated.
Hover a mark for what it was · a legend chip lights that type
What rules has it written at home?
Its own military policy.
Military policy not yet reviewed by this site, as of 2026-11-04.
The record
The documents on file.
Each mark opens its source