The Dutch Cybersecurity Landscape: From Cyber ‘Air Castles’ to Concrete Building Blocks

Since 2010, the Netherlands has led a wide range of initiatives promoting cybersecurity and stability. The government currently engages with variety of stakeholders – including the private sector, civil society, state actors, and intergovernmental organizations – across multiple fora and organizations. Rather than being a passive participant, the Netherlands has been a catalyst, driving change in the field of cyber security both domestically and internationally. Yet, the challenge which lies ahead for the Dutch government is to make sure their cyber efforts as a whole will become greater than the sum of its parts. It will require increased coordination and collaboration across initiatives to turn the current patchwork into a synergistic endeavor. Our argument is presented in four parts. The first part provides an overview of the national cyber security strategies published since 2011. It also addresses which key terms have been defined by the Dutch government. The second part discusses the Dutch government’s views on sovereignty, international law and international cooperation. Part three analyzes the role of the private sector in the Netherlands. The final part concludes.