Constitutional changes as of 10 October 2010

October 14, 2010 7:55 AM

As of 10 October 2010, the country the Netherlands Antilles – comprising the islands of Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba – ceased to exist. This entails that since 10 October 2010, the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprises of four constituent countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten, each having an autonomous status, subject to and in accordance with the “Charter of the Kingdom of The Netherlands" (Statuut voor het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). The islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, commonly referred to as the BES-islands are all individual public entities (municipalities) within the country the Netherlands since 10 October 2010.

Generally spoken, most existing laws in the Netherlands Antilles have now been renamed as laws of the respective countries or public entities. Do note that the laws that govern them are now referred to as to the laws of, for example, Curacao or St Maarten, and not as the laws of the Netherlands Antilles (but they have not undergone any changes as to their content). For the BES-islands several specific BES-laws are effective or will become effective shortly.

October 2010