| The European Maritime Spatial Planning Platform

Basic facts on Marine Waters

The Netherlands' Planning Area, including its Territorial sea out to 12 nautical miles and Exclusive Economic Zone (as defined by UNCLOS) covers a total area of 58,000 km².
Only the central government has jurisdiction over marine areas beyond 1 km from the coast (the first km is shared with municipal and provincial authorities).

Relevant links

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Go to North Sea basin page

Contact email:

northsea [at] maritime-spatial-planning.ec.europa.eu

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Maritime Spatial Plan(s)

Status: Adopted

The Netherlands adopted its first maritime spatial plan, the North Sea Policy Document in 2009.

The Netherlands' first MSP is available here (in English)

The second spatial plan, the North Sea Policy Document covering the period 2016-2021, and adopted in December 2015, is an update from the 2009-2015 document.

The Netherlands' second MSP is available here (in English)

On 18 March 2022, the Netherlands officially adopted the North Sea Programme 2022-2027, integrated into the National Water Programme 2022–2027. It includes the maritime spatial plan and describes the policy to bolster the ecosystem, the transition to sustainable food supply and the transition to sustainable energy provision.

The Netherlands' North Sea Programme 2022-2027 is available here (in English)

Latest MSP developments

The North Sea Programme 2022–2027 has been partially revised. The Partially Revised North Sea Programme 2022–2027 (PHPNZ) replaces the earlier North Sea Programme 2022–2027 (PNZ). The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management conducted a transboundary consultation until February 2024 on the scope and level of detail of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the partial revision of the North Sea Programme 2022–2027, in accordance with the Espoo Convention. The public consultation procedure for the Partial Revision of the North Sea Programme 2022–2027 and its SEA began on 19 May 2025. In 2026, the Dutch Government officially approved the Partial Revision of the North Sea Programme 2022–2027.

The PHPNZ designates additional wind energy areas with an indicative installed capacity of 21 GW. Agreements have been reached on preferred forms of co-use - nature enhancement and restoration in Area 6/7 and, where safe, feasible, and practicable, active fishing in the Doordewind area. The sand extraction reservation zone is being expanded to meet increased demand for coastal defense and for fill and construction sand. Existing policy and assessment frameworks have been adjusted, and a new framework has been added for integrating cables and pipelines near shipping routes. The programme also covers cooperation among North Sea nations within the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (GNSBI) and describes the North Sea Infrastructure Protection Programme (PBNI).

MSP Legislation

The MSP Directive 2014/89/EU was initially transposed into Dutch law through the Water Act and its underlying Water Decree. This legal framework has since been consolidated under the Environment and Planning Act (Omgevingswet), which entered into force on 1 January 2024. The North Sea Programme 2022–2027, which is integrated into the National Water Programme 2022–2027, was officially adopted on 18 March 2022. Its adoption was formalized through a joint notification issued by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Policy, and the Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning, which serves as the legal act enacting the programme. The North Sea Programme 2022–2027 replaced the Policy Document on the North Sea 2016–2021.

National MSP authority

The Netherlands' competent autority for MSP is the Interdepartmental Directors’ Consultative Body North Sea led by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

Contacts:

Dutch Ministry for Infrastructure and Water management.
Rijnstraat 8 Den Haag
Lodewijk Abspoel: Lodewijk.abspoelminienw.nl (Lodewijk[dot]abspoel[at]minienw[dot]nl)

Rijkswaterstaat
Sophie Vergouwen: sophie.vergouwenrws.nl (sophie[dot]vergouwen[at]rws[dot]nl)

Directorate for Nature and Biodiversity of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Jeroen Vis: g.a.j.visminez.nl (g[dot]a[dot]j[dot]vis[at]minez[dot]nl)

For more information

For more information regarding the evolution of the MSP process in the Netherlands please see the dedicated country profile below.

Netherlands Country Profile.pdf

Netherlands