Europe in The Hague
The European flag flies in front of the city hall. This shows the municipality’s proud partnership with the European Union (EU).
The European Union (EU) is important for The Hague. In the EU, countries make agreements about things everyone uses every day, such as clean drinking water. But also, for example, about data protection, biodiversity or charging stations for cars.
The Hague is also important for the European Union. Our city is home to major European organisations such as Europol, Eurojust and the European Climate Foundation.
Cooperation with the EU helps to keep our city safe and liveable.
How does the municipality work with the EU?
The City of the Hague engages with the EU in various ways:
- Advocacy: the municipality highlights The Hague’s interests within the European Union. Often together with other municipalities, regional governments, the water boards, the national government, businesses, knowledge institutions and social organisations.
- Subsidies and funding: The EU makes money available for local and regional projects through various funds and programmes. The Hague uses this to carry out projects for residents and the city.
- Network participation and knowledge exchange: The municipality participates in European networks where cities, businesses, knowledge institutions and social organisations share knowledge and experiences. This strengthens the European network and helps in obtaining subsidies.
Economy
There are 29 European organisations based in The Hague. 6,785 people are employed directly by these organisations. In addition, they generate 1,157 indirect jobs — these are jobs at companies that supply goods or services to the European organisations. (Source: Decisio, 2023)
In the spring of 2026, Europa Experience will open on the Grote Marktstraat in The Hague. This free-to-access educational centre will offer visitors the opportunity to learn about the functioning of the European Union through features such as a 360° cinema and interactive multimedia exhibitions. Europa Experience is a joint initiative of the European Parliament and the European Commission and is being fully realised by them.
European projects
Various projects in the city have been established with the help of the European Union. See below some examples of these projects.
The park has been completely renovated and is now a climate-resilient park with an Urban Water Buffer that can withstand heavy rainfall, hot summers and drought. This was made possible in part by funding from the European Union via the Nature Smart Cities project, which aims to show municipalities how they can use green infrastructure to protect themselves against the effects of climate change.
Through the Upcycle Your Waste programme The Hague helped businesses to handle their waste more smartly. By turning business waste into valuable raw materials, other Hague businesses can make new products from it. This saves costs and is good for the environment. From 2019 to 2023 a project under Interreg2Seas ran at business park ZKD, to help companies discover what is possible with their waste and how they can process and reuse it smartly.
With the PlastiCity project the EU wants to improve plastic waste management in cities, by recycling more than 50% of it. This is done through innovative logistics solutions and cooperation between industry, government, research institutions and citizens. The project uses a mobile recycling laboratory to analyse plastic waste and turn it into new raw materials. PlastiCity examines the current situation of plastic waste collection and recycling in The Hague, Ghent (Belgium), Southend-on-Sea (United Kingdom) and Douai (France). In this way they develop new ideas for waste collection.
The Hague aims to make recycling more accessible for urban residents. Urban resource centres (recycling centres) can play an important role here by stimulating repair, reuse and recycling at local level. For example, neighbourhood buildings for second-hand clothing and repair services, spaces for workshops and training, and the development of new circular businesses. The Hague cooperates with 10 European cities in the ‘URBACT Action Planning Network’.
This smart grid (‘Slim Strandnet’) is an autonomous low-voltage grid connecting solar panels, heat pumps, charging stations, beach pavilions, a beach volleyball stadium and power supplies for events. Through a battery, users have more control over their energy use. This battery charges when solar energy production is high and supplies energy during peak moments, for example when a beach pavilion has the BBQ, oven and induction hobs on at the same time. The aim of the grid is to monitor, predict and steer the use of locally generated energy, and thereby contribute to solving grid congestion. For the project, The Hague received funding from the European programme ‘Kansen voor West’.
Port cities and regions within the Eurodelta, such as the Randstad and the Rhine-Ruhr area, are working together on a circular economy. Circular working has consequences for the spatial environment. For example, more space may be needed at one location (for instance to store recycled material), while less space is needed elsewhere. In the European ASSET project The Hague, together with other organisations, investigates what is needed for a spatial-economic strategy and action agenda and how cooperation between cities and regions can solve local spatial challenges.
The Municipality of The Hague is participating in the European project EUM-POWER, together with eight other municipalities and organisations. This project helps labour migrants to better
understand their rights and responsibilities. In doing so, it aims to prevent problems related to work or housing. The project will run from 2025 to 2029. The partners involved share
best practices with one another and with other organisations across Europe.
Our strategy for working with the European Union
The municipality of The Hague wants more influence in the European Union, to achieve more results for the city. How the municipality intends to achieve this is explained in our Begin external link: EU strategy for 2025-2030(External link), end external link. (RIS320814) in dutch.
A dedicated team within the municipality of the Hague is responsible for:
The municipality’s Team Europe is working daily to:
- Influencing European policy and legislation
- Representing The Hague’s interests in Europe
- Connecting local and international parties
- Visibility of The Hague within the European Union
- Strengthening ties with other European cities
- Applying for subsidies and funding for projects in the city
- Organising meetings with European policymakers and visits to European institutions.
In addition Team Europe also organises different international visits and events.
European Social Fund Plus
The European Social Fund Plus (External link) (ESF+) is the European Union’s main instrument for investing in Europe’s residents. The ESF+ supports the action plan Begin external link: European Pillar of Social Rights(External link), end external link.. Together with other municipalities, The Hague utilises the ESF+ for enhancing Begin external link: regional employment(External link), end external link.. The fund also ensures that everyone can participate (inclusiveness). In this way the municipality ensures:
- employment
- fair opportunities for work
- opportunities to (continue to) learn with the help of Begin external link: training vouchers(External link), end external link.
- help for people with debts or other housing or health problems
At present The Hague, together with the regional municipalities, receives the following ESF+ subsidies:
- ESF+ Sectors
- ESF+ Labour market region Active Inclusion
- ESF+ Labour market region Social Inclusion
- ESF+ PrO-vso
Read the EU’s plans
Would you like more information about the European Union? Then visit the website Begin external link: What Europe does for me(External link), end external link. or the website Begin external link: Europe around the corner(External link), end external link..
Watch the video The Hague hoists the European flag on Europe Day (YouTube channel of the municipality)
More information
Do you have a question about The Hague and Europe? Or would you like to be informed about new events? Send an email to Begin link: europa@denhaag.nl, end link. .