H.E. Mr. Paul Schellekens:

Thank you very much, Chairman. Thank you for inviting me to this meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. It is an honour and a pleasure to be here.

As committee members are aware, we are facing a new challenge in Europe. One of our main allies has decided to leave the EU. I need not convince committee members of the profound effect of Brexit on our countries. We will lose an important partner in the European Union, a neighbour with which we share many ties, including economic, cultural and political ties.

Ireland is a strong, open and competitive economy, like the Netherlands. The UK is Ireland's first and the Netherlands third largest trading partner. Ireland and the Netherlands are two countries very much affected economically if the UK leaves the Internal Market. The consequences do not stop there, however. Our countries have sizeable communities working in the UK whose fate is now uncertain. Our countries will lose an ally on trade-oriented liberal policy making in the EU. Further consequences loom for this beautiful island if Brexit sees a return to the borders of the past. Of course, the Border between the Republic and Northern Ireland is a sensitive issue. We fully understand this and we believe this should be taken into account when negotiations begin.

No matter how things play out, a deal for a new relationship between the European Union and the UK will be challenging. For our economies, which have such links to the British economy, a long period of uncertainty is undesirable. Uncertainty will delay investments and slow down economic growth.

At the same time, we should allow the UK and the EU to prepare carefully for the negotiations. We need an orderly process and we should not rush it. It needs to be an inclusive process and member states need to be involved in the negotiations. A final agreement should reflect the interests of the member states, including the economic interests of the Netherlands and those of Ireland.

Until the UK has invoked Article 50, the position of the EU 27 member states, including the Netherlands, has been clear: there can be no negotiation without notification. The new relationship does not have unlimited scope for negotiation. For example, the view of the EU 27 member states is that access to the Internal Market is connected to the four freedoms. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Rutte, made this clear to the UK Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May, during her recent visit to the Netherlands. The Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Bert Koenders, has also been clear on this point to the UK. Moreover, he has reiterated this position in talks with the EU 27 countries and during his recent visit to Dublin two months ago.

While we are in this process, the 27 member states will stay on the same page, as underlined at the European Council last June. Sixty years of European co-operation have built strong bonds of partnership between member states and the European institutions. We must build on our strength and develop new ties with the United Kingdom. We will do this together. We will all benefit from a clear, united and swift approach in preparing for negotiations, which will start once the UK has formally notified its intention to withdraw from the Union.

The process for the Brexit negotiations remains unclear. The upcoming Council meetings will bring more clarity to the internal EU 27 group preparations and the preferred negotiating process. Much will depend on the UK in this respect and the eventual notification. Like Ireland, the Netherlands is of course preparing internally for the upcoming negotiations. Our ministers are in close contact with members' counterparts in the Dutch Parliament. I am pleased to say we have a close working relationship with Ireland on the Brexit negotiation preparations. During the coming period, committee members will probably also be in close contact with the other parliaments from the 27 EU member states, as well as the European Parliament, just as their Dutch counterparts are. Furthermore, the Netherlands is looking forward to strengthening and broadening our bilateral relationship in the future. Ireland and the Netherlands are natural partners in the EU 27 group, not only politically but economically.

Finally, I wish to comment on Brexit and its effects. It is the dawn of a new era. It is the case that the British referendum results will have a major impact on the European Union and on individual member states like Ireland and the Netherlands. However, the current turmoil also allows us to really think about the value of the Union and to re-energise our efforts to continue improving it for our citizens. It gives us a reminder of the need to combine our powers and work on improving the European Union together. Ireland and the Netherlands are like-minded countries here. We are natural partners.