102-546: EUCO may be: European Council European Union Chamber Orchestra Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title EUCO . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=EUCO&oldid=943093734 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
204-489: A raid on the homes and offices of then-aldermen Richard de Mos and Rachid Guernaoui, as part of an investigation of alleged administrative corruption, bribery and violation of confidentiality. The offices of several municipal civil servants and the homes of three entrepreneurs were also searched for the investigation. The aldermen were suspected of receiving bribes in exchange for granting permits. In April 2023, De Mos and Guernaoui were acquitted of all charges. The Hague
306-638: A stadtholder to rule in their stead with the States of Holland and West Friesland as an advisory council. Although their seat was in The Hague, the city became subordinate to more important centres of government such as Brussels and Mechelen , from where the sovereigns ruled over the increasingly centralised Burgundian Netherlands . At the beginning of the Eighty Years' War , the absence of city walls proved disastrous, as it allowed Spanish troops to easily occupy
408-427: A Permanent Representative via the " Antici Group " in an adjacent room. The group is composed of diplomats and assistants who convey information and requests. Interpreters are also required for meetings as members are permitted to speak in their own languages . As the composition is not precisely defined, some states which have a considerable division of executive power can find it difficult to decide who should attend
510-549: A buffer against France. As a compromise, Brussels and Amsterdam alternated as capital every two years, with the government remaining in The Hague. After the separation of Belgium in 1830, Amsterdam remained the capital of the Netherlands, while the government was situated in The Hague. When the government started to play a more prominent role in Dutch society after 1850, The Hague quickly expanded. Many streets were specifically built for
612-515: A charter dating from 1242. It became the primary residence of the Counts of Holland in 1358 and thus became the seat of many government institutions. This status allowed the village to grow; by the Late Middle Ages, it had grown to the size of a city, although it did not receive city rights . In its early years, the village was in the ambacht , or rural district, of Monster , which was governed by
714-520: A different foreign policy response to the crisis. A similar situation arose in Romania between President Traian Băsescu and Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu in 2007–2008 and again in 2012 with Prime Minister Victor Ponta , who both opposed the president. A number of ad hoc meetings of heads of state or government of the member states of the euro area were held in 2010 and 2011 to discuss
816-634: A guide to legislative policy. The meetings of the European Council, still commonly referred to as EU summits , are chaired by its president and take place at least twice every six months; usually in the Europa building in Brussels. Decisions of the European Council are taken by consensus, except where the Treaties provide otherwise. The European Council officially gained the status of an EU institution after
918-517: A letter to Den Haag will be delivered just as well. The railway stations use the name Den Haag , as do signposts. The area was part of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and was close to the border of the empire, the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes . In 1997, four Roman milestones were discovered at Wateringse Veld. The originals are in the " Museon " museum. The milestones indicate
1020-549: A new theatre, Amare , which would house both institutes as well as the Royal Conservatory . Despite efforts of the municipality, public support for the proposed theatre remains low. At the heart of the city centre across the palace gardens is the home of Summerschool Den Haag , an international school for dance with guest teachers such as Valentina Scaglia , Igone de Jongh , and Maia Makhateli . The Koninklijke Schouwburg , home to Het Nationale Theater , can also be found in
1122-526: A population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the southwestern corner of the second-largest conurbation in the European Union . The Hague is divided into eight official districts which are, in turn, divided into neighbourhoods. Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas such as Statenkwartier , Belgisch Park , Marlot , Benoordenhout and Archipelbuurt are generally in
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#17330944773281224-508: A population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea , The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government , and while the official capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam , The Hague has been described as the country's de facto capital since the time of the Dutch Republic . The Hague
1326-625: A year, it is the most popular beach town in the Benelux area. Kijkduin , in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents. The former Dutch colony of the East Indies , now Indonesia , has left its mark on The Hague. Since the 19th century, high-level civil servants from the Dutch East Indies often spent long-term leave and vacations in The Hague. Many streets are named after places in
1428-722: Is Muziekcafé de Paap. The Spuiplein is a modern fourth square in the city centre, opposite the Nieuwe Kerk . Besides the City Hall , this was also the location of the Anton Philipszaal , home to the Residentie Orchestra , and the Lucent Danstheater , home to the internationally celebrated modern dance company Nederlands Dans Theater . These buildings, designed by Rem Koolhaas in 1988, have been demolished to make space for
1530-464: Is a consortium of those institutions. Its member institutions are: In 1948, the Congress of Europe was held with 750 delegates from 26 European governments, providing them with the opportunity to discuss ideas about the development of European integration , which eventually culminated in the creation of the modern-day European Union . The Hague has a service-oriented economy. A professional life in
1632-474: Is also host to the regional headquarters of Siemens , T-Mobile , AT&T , Huawei , Kuwait Petroleum Corporation , McDermott International , Saudi Aramco , TotalEnergies and Worley . There has never been any large-scale industrial activity in The Hague, with the possible exception of the fishing activities of the harbour in Scheveningen . Many of the city's logistical and minor-industrial services are in
1734-512: Is becoming more student-friendly with the introduction of a new campus in 2012 of Leiden University as well as Leiden University College The Hague , which was established in 2010. The Royal Conservatory of The Hague and the Royal Academy of Art are also located there, as well as The Hague University , a vocational university and a branch of The Open University of the Netherlands . The city has many civil servants and diplomats . In fact,
1836-449: Is certain is that The Hague was founded by the last counts of the House of Holland . Floris IV already owned two residences in the area, but presumably purchased a third court situated by the present-day Hofvijver in 1229, previously owned by a woman called Meilendis. Presumably, Floris IV intended to rebuild the court into a large castle, but he died in a tournament in 1234, before anything
1938-622: Is composed of the heads of state or of government of the EU member states , the President of the European Council , and the President of the European Commission . The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also takes part in its meetings. Established as an informal summit in 1975, the European Council was formalised as an institution in 2009 upon the commencement of
2040-537: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages European Council The European Council (informally EUCO ) is a collegiate body ( directorial system ) that defines the overall political direction and priorities of the European Union . The European Council is part of the executive of the European Union (EU), beside the European Commission . It
2142-517: Is directed by political bodies composed of member states ' representatives, and generally requires unanimous decisions. As of April 2019: The Hague The Hague ( / h eɪ ɡ / HAYG ; Dutch : Den Haag [dɛn ˈɦaːx] or 's-Gravenhage [ˌsxraːvə(n)ˈɦaːɣə] ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands . With
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#17330944773282244-655: Is home to many different international judicial bodies, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). It houses Scheveningen Prison , the ICC's detention center for those suspected of war crimes and other violations of international law. The Hague is the fourth major centre for
2346-678: Is the core municipality of the Greater The Hague urban area containing over 800,000 residents, and is also part of the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area , which, with a population of approximately 2.6 million, is the largest metropolitan area of the Netherlands. The city is also part of the Randstad region, one of the largest conurbations in Europe. The Hague is the seat of the Cabinet ,
2448-407: Is the most common religion among people with a Turkish or Moroccan migration background. Among people of Surinamese heritage there is more religious diversity, with Hinduism being the most common. Of The Hague's native Dutch population, most religious people adhere to Christianity. Just under 40% of the population of The Hague regularly attends a house of worship. As of the 2022 municipal election ,
2550-648: The Atlantic Wall was built through the city, causing a large quarter to be torn down by the Nazi occupants. On 3 March 1945, the Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout quarter. The target was an installation of V-2 rockets in the nearby Haagse Bos park, but because of navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic part of the city. The bombardment wreaked widespread destruction in
2652-536: The Binnenhof ) contains a six-screen Pathé cinema and a handful of bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Adjacent to the Buitenhof is De Passage , the country's first covered shopping mall. Dating from the late 19th century, it contains many expensive and speciality shops. One of the country's largest music venues, Paard van Troje , can be found in the centre of The Hague. Another popular music venue in The Hague
2754-593: The Council of Ministers . In 1987, it was included in the treaties for the first time (the Single European Act ) and had a defined role for the first time in the Maastricht Treaty . At first only a minimum of two meetings per year were required, which resulted in an average of three meetings per year being held for the 1975–1995 period. Since 1996, the number of meetings were required to be minimum four per year. For
2856-645: The European Commission ) over the integration process, but petered out. The first influential summit held, after the departure of de Gaulle, was the Hague summit of 1969, which reached an agreement on the admittance of the United Kingdom into the Community and initiated foreign policy cooperation (the European Political Cooperation ) taking integration beyond economics. The summits were only formalised in
2958-633: The Haagse Bos and work in the Noordeinde Palace in the city centre. Moreover, there are two former royal palaces in The Hague. The Kneuterdijk Palace , built in 1716, is now home to the Council of State of the Netherlands , and the Lange Voorhout Palace is now occupied by the Escher Museum , dedicated to Dutch graphical artist M. C. Escher . The Hague has its share of museums, most notably
3060-470: The Hagenezen , who speak plat Haags ("vulgar"); see Demographics below. The districts are: The Hague experiences a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen: Cfb ) similar to almost all of the Netherlands. Because of its location on the coast, it experiences milder winters and cooler summers than more inland locations. However, because of its location, it can also be extremely windy in the winter and humid in
3162-570: The Maastricht Treaty (e.g. Article 109j TEC). In that case, what was politically part of a European Council meeting was legally a meeting of the Council of Ministers . When the European Council, already introduced into the treaties by the Single European Act, became an institution by virtue of the Treaty of Lisbon, this was no longer necessary, and the "Council [of the European Union] meeting in
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3264-634: The Mauritshuis , located next to the Binnenhof, which exhibits many paintings by Dutch masters, such as Johannes Vermeer , Rembrandt van Rijn and Paulus Potter . Other museums include the science museum Museon , the modern art museum Kunstmuseum , the historic museum Haags Historisch Museum , the national postal museum Museum voor Communicatie , the Museum Bredius , the Louis Couperus Museum ,
3366-501: The Ridderzaal ("Knights' Hall"), still intact, is the most prominent. It is still used for political events, such as the annual speech from the throne by the Dutch monarch . From the 13th century onward, the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative center and residence when in Holland. The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned as Die Haghe in
3468-585: The Rotterdam The Hague Airport and a light rail system called RandstadRail . This led to the creation of the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area . This large conurbation centred on The Hague and Rotterdam is, in turn, part of the Randstad —specifically a band of municipalities called the South Wing ( Zuidvleugel ). The Randstad, which also includes among others Amsterdam and Utrecht , has
3570-590: The States General , the Supreme Court , and the Council of State of the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander officially lives in the Huis ten Bosch and works at the Noordeinde Palace together with Queen Máxima . Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands are in the city. The Hague is also home to the headquarters of many Dutch companies , with Shell plc having major offices in the city as well. The Royal Library of
3672-659: The Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, distinct from the Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers). Before that, the first summits of EU heads of state or government were held in February and July 1961 (in Paris and Bonn respectively). They were informal summits of the leaders of the European Community , and were started due to then- French President Charles de Gaulle 's resentment at the domination of supranational institutions (notably
3774-419: The Treaty of Lisbon . Its current president is Antonio Costa , former Prime Minister of Portugal . While the European Council has no legislative power, it is a strategic (and crisis-solving) body that provides the union with general political directions and priorities, and acts as a collective presidency. The European Commission remains the sole initiator of legislation , but the European Council provides
3876-461: The United Nations , after New York, Geneva and Vienna. The foundation of The Hague as an "international city of peace and justice" started at the end of the 19th century, when the first global peace conference took place in The Hague on Tobias Asser 's initiative, with a second one a few years later. A direct result of these meetings was the establishment of the world's first organisation for
3978-449: The municipal council of The Hague contains thirteen parties, most notably the local Heart for The Hague (HvDH; 9 seats), Democrats 66 (D66; 8 seats), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD; 7 seats) and GroenLinks (5 seats). Since 2019, the municipal executive has comprised VVD, D66, GroenLinks, CDA and PvdA. The chairman of the college is Mayor Jan van Zanen (VVD), and
4080-474: The treaty changes ". Since the institution is composed of national leaders, it gathers the executive power of the member states and has thus a great influence in high-profile policy areas as for example foreign policy . It also exercises powers of appointment, such as appointment of its own President , the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy , and the President of
4182-446: The 13th century Binnenhof , and this is still considered the cultural centre of the city. Nightlife centres around the three main squares in the city centre. The Plein (literally "Square") is taken by several large sidewalk cafés where often politicians may be spotted. The Grote Markt (literally "Great Market") is completely strewn with chairs and tables, summer or winter. The Buitenhof (literally "Outer Court", located just outside
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4284-605: The 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, opened in the former headquarters of the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service in Leidschendam , a town within the greater area of The Hague. Other major international and European organisations based in The Hague include: Many academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law, and international development are based in The Hague. The Hague Academic Coalition (HAC)
4386-649: The Binckhorst in the Laak district, which contains many sizeable warehouses. Tourism is an important sector in The Hague. The city is the second biggest Dutch tourist destination, after Amsterdam . In 2012, The Hague welcomed 1.2 million tourists (an increase of 80,000 compared to the previous year), half of whom came from abroad. The number of hotel nights in the city increased by 5%; in particular, visitors from neighbouring countries are finding their way to The Hague. Compared to 2011 Belgians booked 27% more hotel nights, while
4488-498: The Council of the EU, the European Council had previously followed the same Presidency, rotating between each member state. While the Council of the EU retains that system, the European Council established, with no change in powers, a system of appointing an individual (without them being a national leader) for a two-and-a-half-year term—which can be renewed for the same person only once. Following
4590-412: The EU's policy agenda and has thus been considered to be the motor of European integration . Beyond the need to provide "impetus", the council has developed further roles: to "settle issues outstanding from discussions at a lower level", to lead in foreign policy — acting externally as a "collective Head of State ", "formal ratification of important documents" and "involvement in the negotiation of
4692-600: The European Central Bank . It proposes, to the European Parliament , a candidate for President of the European Commission . Moreover, the European Council influences police and justice planning, the composition of the commission, matters relating to the organisation of the rotating Council presidency, the suspension of membership rights, and changing the voting systems through the Passerelle Clause . Although
4794-458: The European Council and the Council of the European Union utilised the Justus Lipsius building as their Brussels venue. In order to make room for additional meeting space a number of renovations were made, including the conversion of an underground carpark into additional press briefing rooms. However, in 2004 leaders decided the logistical problems created by the outdated facilities warranted
4896-582: The European Council had already existed before it gained the status as an institution of the European Union with the entering into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, but even after it had been mentioned in the treaties (since the Single European Act) it could only take political decisions, not formal legal acts. However, when necessary, the Heads of State or Government could also meet as the Council of Ministers and take formal decisions in that role. Sometimes, this
4998-413: The European Council has no direct legislative power, under the "emergency brake" procedure, a state outvoted in the Council of Ministers may refer contentious legislation to the European Council. However, the state may still be outvoted in the European Council. Hence with powers over the supranational executive of the EU, in addition to its other powers, the European Council has been described by some as
5100-418: The European Parliament also attends to give an opening speech outlining the European Parliament 's position before talks begin. Additionally, the negotiations involve a large number of other people working behind the scenes. Most of those people, however, are not allowed to the conference room, except for two delegates per state to relay messages. At the push of a button members can also call for advice from
5202-465: The European level such as European political parties and political groups of the European Parliament . These alliances frequently hold pre-meetings with their European Council members, prior to their meetings. However, the members of the European Council represent their member states rather than political alliances, and decisions are generally made along national lines, though ideological alignment can colour political agreements and appointments (such as
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#17330944773285304-400: The Germans were good for 24% more hotel nights, and the French booked 20% more hotel nights. The 14% average increase in visits by foreign tourists more than compensated for the slight decrease of less than 1% by Dutch visitors. Tourists spend an average of €2 billion a year in the local economy. Today 1 in 10 residents make their living in the tourism sector. The Hague originated around
5406-403: The Lord of Monster. Seeking to exercise more direct control over the village, however, the Count split the village off and created a separate ambacht called Haagambacht, governed directly by the Counts of Holland. The territory of Haagambacht was considerably expanded during the reign of Floris V. When the House of Burgundy inherited the counties of Holland and Zeeland in 1432, they appointed
5508-403: The Netherlands is also located there. The Hague's coastal area includes the popular seaside resort Scheveningen . The Hague is known as the global hub of international law and arbitration. The International Court of Justice , the main judicial arm of the United Nations , is based in the city, as are the International Criminal Court , the Permanent Court of Arbitration , the Organisation for
5610-486: The Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutch colonies such as Suriname) and there is a sizable " Indo " (i.e. mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949, " Indo people " also known as "Indische people" often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of the Indies". The older parts of the town have many characteristically wide and long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (often not more than three floors). A large part of
5712-444: The Netherlands, while 15.6% has at least one parent who was born abroad in a western country, and 34.4% has at least one parent that was born in a non-western country. Just under half of The Hague's population identifies with a religious group. The two most popular religions are Christianity (29%) and Islam (14.1%). Religiosity is higher among people with a recent migration background from Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco and Surinam. Islam
5814-517: The Prohibition of Chemical Weapons , Europol , and approximately 200 other international governmental organizations . The name "The Hague" is commonly used as a totum pro parte to refer to either of the international courts that reside in the city. The Hague was first mentioned as Die Haghe in 1242. In the 15th century, the name des Graven hage came into use, literally meaning "the Count's Grove", with connotations such as "hedge", "private enclosure" or "hunting grounds". The count in question
5916-405: The Sovereign Debt crisis. It was agreed in October 2011 that they should meet regularly twice a year (with extra meetings if needed). This will normally be at the end of a European Council meeting and according to the same format (chaired by the President of the European Council and including the President of the Commission), but usually restricted to the (currently 20) heads of state or government of
6018-407: The Treaty of Lisbon, this has been discontinued, as the size of the body had become somewhat large following successive accessions of new Member States to the Union. Meetings can also include other invitees, such as the President of the European Central Bank, as required. The Secretary-General of the Council attends, and is responsible for organisational matters, including minutes. The President of
6120-445: The UN's International Court of Justice . The establishments of the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal (1981), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1993), and the International Criminal Court (2002) in the city further consolidated its role as a centre for international legal arbitration. Most recently, on 1 March 2009, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon , a UN tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in
6222-403: The Union's "supreme political authority". The European Council consists of the heads of state or government of the member states, alongside its own President and the Commission President (both non-voting). The meetings used to be regularly attended by the national foreign minister as well, and the Commission President likewise accompanied by another member of the commission. However, since
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#17330944773286324-435: The area and caused 511 fatalities. Because of uncertainty about what to do after the destructions of the bombing, nobody attempted to plan a reconstruction of Bezuidenhout. In 1962, David Jokinen saw an opportunity to put an end to the situation where two main stations each served only part of the rail traffic. The Jokinen Plan included the intent to demolish the Staatsspoor Station entirely, with Hollands Spoor becoming
6426-417: The central station. Jokinen's plan sparked fierce discussions. The plan was not implemented, in part because it was only presented when decision-making had finally reached an advanced stage. In the site of the Staatsspoor station now stands the Den Haag Centraal railway station . After the war, The Hague became at one time the largest building site in Europe . The city expanded massively to the southwest, and
6528-399: The city centre – on the Korte Voorhout. New European Ensemble is a collective for contemporary music consisting on international musicians. The ensemble has its main base in the city. Scheveningen forms a second cultural centre of The Hague, having its own Pathé cinema as well as the musical theatre Circustheater although, especially in the summer, most night life concentrates around
6630-442: The city has eight aldermen: Anne Mulder , Kavita Parbhudayal (both VVD), Robert van Asten, Saskia Bruines (both D66), Liesbeth van Tongeren , Bert van Alphen (both GroenLinks), Hilbert Bredemeijer (CDA) and Martijn Balster (PvdA). Each alderman is responsible for a number of particular policy areas and one of the city's eight districts. On 1 October 2019, the National Department of Criminal Investigation ( Rijksrecherche ) performed
6732-706: The city is dominated by a large number of civil servants and diplomats working in the city; as of 2006 , 26% of the jobs in The Hague are those offered by the Dutch government or the international institutions. Large employers in this sector include the ministries of Defence , Justice , Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment , Foreign Affairs , the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Transport, Public Works and Water Management . Several large international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague. Significant companies headquartered in The Hague include Aegon , APM Terminals , Damco , NIBC Bank , Chicago Bridge & Iron Company and PostNL . The city
6834-433: The city is more spacious than other Dutch cities and because of the incorporation of large and old nobility estates, the creation of various parks, and the use of green zones around natural streams, it is a much more green city than any other in the Netherlands. That is, excepting some medieval close-knitted streets in the centre. The Hague has a canal system around the old city center, which is mainly used for boat tours around
6936-416: The city of The Hague were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with the consent of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague annexed large areas from neighboring and non-adjacent towns to build new residential areas, which are still being developed today. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea in the Netherlands and forms the centre of the Greater The Hague urban area . Westland and Wateringen lie to
7038-530: The city. Most of the canals were drained in the late 19th century and some were filled between 1910 and 1970 but many have been restored recently. The tallest buildings of The Hague are both 146-meter-tall ministries of Justice and Security and the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, designed by Hans Kollhoff . Other significant skyscrapers include the Hoftoren , Het Strijkijzer and De Kroon . Religions in The Hague (2015) As of 1 January 2021, The Hague counts 549,163 inhabitants, making it
7140-416: The composition of the Heads of State or Government", was replaced in these instances by the European Council now taking formal legally binding decisions in these cases ( Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union ). The Treaty of Lisbon made the European Council a formal institution distinct from the (ordinary) Council of the EU, and created the present longer term and full-time presidency. As an outgrowth of
7242-477: The construction of a new purpose built seat able to cope with the nearly 6,000 meetings, working groups, and summits per year. This resulted in the Europa building , which opened its doors in 2017. The focal point of the new building, the distinctive multi-storey "lantern-shaped" structure in which the main meeting room is located, is utilised in both the European Council's and Council of the European Union's official logos. The EU command and control (C2) structure
7344-545: The decision by EU leaders to move towards a permanent seat for the European Council. Additionally, some scholars argue that the move, when coupled with the formalisation of the European Council in the Lisbon Treaty , represents an institutionalisation of an ad hoc EU organ that had its origins in Luxembourg compromise , with national leaders reasserting their dominance as the EU's "supreme political authority". Originally, both
7446-413: The destroyed areas were quickly rebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000 inhabitants around 1965. In the 1970s and 1980s, mostly white middle-class families moved to neighbouring towns such as Voorburg , Leidschendam , Rijswijk and (most of all) Zoetermeer . This led to the traditional pattern of an impoverished inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of these municipalities in
7548-405: The distance from the nearest Roman city, Forum Hadriani (modern Voorburg ), and can be dated to the reign of the emperors Antoninus Pius (138–161; the column is dated 151), Caracalla (211–217), Gordian III (238–244), and Decius (249–251). Little is known about the origin of The Hague. There are no contemporary documents describing it, and later sources are often of dubious reliability. What
7650-424: The growth to continue to just over 600,000 inhabitants by 2030. The demonym of The Hague officially is Hagenaar , but the term Hagenees is informally used for someone who was born and raised in The Hague. The usage of these demonyms appears to be class-bound, with Hagenaar being the upper-class term and Hagenees being that of the lower-class. 43% of the population of The Hague has two parents that were born in
7752-630: The high-profile summit as well as the Prime Minister (only two people from each country could attend the meetings). This was despite Stubb being Chair-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe at the time which was heavily involved in the crisis. Problems also occurred in Poland where the President of Poland and the Prime Minister of Poland were of different parties and had
7854-564: The large number of civil servants employed in the country's government and for the Dutchmen who were retiring from the administration of the Netherlands East Indies . The growing city amalgamated the rural municipality of Loosduinen partly in 1903 and completely in 1923. The city sustained heavy damage during World War II . Many Jews were killed during the German occupation. Additionally,
7956-618: The latest 2008–2014 period, this minimum was well exceeded, by an average of seven meetings being held per year. The seat of the Council was formalised in 2002, basing it in Brussels. Three types of European Councils exist: Informal, Scheduled and Extraordinary. While the informal meetings are also scheduled 1½ years in advance, they differ from the scheduled ordinary meetings by not ending with official Council conclusions , as they instead end by more broad political Statements on some cherry-picked policy matters. The extraordinary meetings always end with official Council conclusions but differ from
8058-462: The location. Following the growth of the EU to 25 member states, with the 2004 enlargement , all subsequent official summits of the European Council have been in Brussels, with the exception of punctuated ad hoc meetings, such as the 2017 informal European Council in Malta. The logistical, environmental, financial and security arrangements of hosting large summits are usually cited as the primary factors in
8160-575: The meetings. While an MEP, Alexander Stubb argued that there was no need for the President of Finland to attend Council meetings with or instead of the Prime Minister of Finland (who was head of European foreign policy). In 2008, having become Finnish Foreign Minister , Stubb was forced out of the Finnish delegation to the emergency council meeting on the Georgian crisis because the President wanted to attend
8262-431: The member states of the eurozone. The President of the European Council is elected by its members through a qualified majority vote for a once-renewable term of two and a half years. Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) identifies his duties. It is the Heads of State or Government who vote for this office. The President must report to the European Parliament after each European Council meeting. The post
8364-556: The night. Until 2002, the venue for European Council summits was the member state that held the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union . However, European leaders agreed during ratification of the Nice Treaty to forego this arrangement at such a time as the total membership of the European Union surpassed 18 member states. An advanced implementation of this agreement occurred in 2002, with certain states agreeing to waive their right to host meetings, favouring Brussels as
8466-539: The northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereas the southeastern neighbourhoods such as Transvaal , Moerwijk , and the Schilderswijk are significantly poorer, except the Vinex-locations of Leidschenveen-Ypenburg and Wateringse Veld . This division is reflected in the local accent: The more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak so-called bekakt Haags ("posh"), this contrasts with
8568-439: The number and variety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates ) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign pubs , shops and cultural events. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and includes two distinct beach resorts . The main beach resort Scheveningen , in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists as well as for inhabitants. With 10 million visitors
8670-507: The period between 1974 and 1988. At the December summit in Paris in 1974, following a proposal from then-French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing , it was agreed that more high-level, political input was needed following the "empty chair crisis" and economic problems. The inaugural European Council , as it became known, was held in Dublin on 10 and 11 March 1975 during Ireland's first Presidency of
8772-541: The president of the European Council). The charts below outline the number of leaders affiliated to each alliance and their total voting weight. The map indicates the political group of the member representing each individual country. The European Council is required by Article 15.3 TEU to meet at least twice every six months, but convenes more frequently in practice. Despite efforts to contain business, meetings typically last for at least two days, and run long into
8874-624: The privileges normally granted only to cities. In modern administrative law, "city rights" have no place anymore. In 1806, when the Kingdom of Holland was a puppet state of the First French Empire , the settlement was granted city rights by Louis Bonaparte . After the Napoleonic Wars , modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands to form
8976-424: The ratification of the treaty in December 2009, the European Council elected the then- Prime Minister of Belgium Herman Van Rompuy as its first permanent president; he resigned the prime ministerial position. The European Council is an official institution of the EU, described in the Lisbon Treaty as a body which " shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development ". Essentially it defines
9078-491: The scheduled meetings by not being scheduled more than a year in advance, as for example in 2001 when the European Council gathered to lead the European Union's response to the 11 September attacks . Some meetings of the European Council—and, before the European Council was formalised, meetings of the heads of government—are seen by some as turning points in the history of the European Union . For example: As such,
9180-546: The sea-front boulevard with its bars, restaurants and gambling halls. Several other attractions can be found in Scheveningen, such as the miniature park Madurodam , the Beelden aan Zee museum, and a Sea Life Centre . The Hague is the residence of the Dutch monarch, and several (former) royal palaces can be found in the city. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands live in Huis ten Bosch in
9282-677: The settlement of international disputes, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). Shortly thereafter, the Scottish-American millionaire Andrew Carnegie made the necessary funds available to build the Peace Palace to house the PCA. After the establishment of the League of Nations , The Hague became the seat of the Permanent Court of International Justice , which was replaced (after World War II ) by
9384-513: The south, Rijswijk , Delft and the Rotterdam conurbation (known as Rijnmond ) to the southeast, Pijnacker-Nootdorp and Zoetermeer to the east, Leidschendam-Voorburg , Voorschoten and the Leiden conurbation to the northeast and Wassenaar to the north. The conurbations around The Hague and Rotterdam are close enough to be seen as a single conurbation in some contexts. For example, they share
9486-479: The southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architect H.P. Berlage about 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets for several decades. In World War II, a large amount of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterward, modernist architect W.M. Dudok planned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open park-like settings. The layout of
9588-526: The summer. It also gets more sunshine. City life concentrates around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof , where the States General of the Netherlands is located. Because of its history, the historical inner city of The Hague differs in various aspects from the nearby smaller cities of Leiden and Delft . It does not have a cramped inner city, bordered by canals and walls. Instead, it has some small streets in
9690-636: The third-largest city in the Netherlands. Between 1800 and 1960, the city saw considerable growth from 40,000 in 1800 to 200,000 in 1900 and eventually 600,000 in 1960. The growth following 1900 was partially caused by the housing act of 1901, which stimulated the expansion of cities such as The Hague. In the period between 1960 and 1980, The Hague saw a shrinkage from 600,000 to 440,000 inhabitants, caused mostly by spatial policy, demographic processes, and lack of space. After several annexations and housing constructions, The Hague has since grown again, celebrating its 500,000th inhabitant in 2011. The municipality expects
9792-461: The town centre that may be dated from the late Middle Ages and several spacious streets boasting large and luxurious 18th-century residences built for diplomats and affluent Dutch families. It has a large church dating from the 15th century, a City Hall (built as such) from the 16th century, several large 17th-century palaces, a 17th-century Protestant church built in what was then a modern style, and many important 18th-century buildings. The city
9894-593: The town. In 1575, the States of Holland, temporarily based in Delft , even considered demolishing the city but this proposal was abandoned, after mediation by William the Silent . In 1588, The Hague became the permanent seat of the States of Holland as well as the States General of the Dutch Republic . For the administration to maintain control over city matters, The Hague never received official city status, although it did have many of
9996-469: Was built. His son and successor William II lived in the court, and after he was elected King of the Romans in 1248, he promptly returned to The Hague, and had builders turn the court into a "royal palace" ( regale palacium ), which would later be called the Binnenhof ("Inner Court"). He died in 1256 before this palace was completed but parts of it were finished during the reign of his son Floris V , of which
10098-550: Was created by the Treaty of Lisbon and was subject to a debate over its exact role. Prior to Lisbon, the Presidency rotated in accordance with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union . The role of that President-in-Office was in no sense (other than protocol) equivalent to an office of a head of state , merely a primus inter pares (first among equals) role among other European heads of government. The President-in-Office
10200-553: Was even compulsory, e.g. Article 214(2) of the Treaty establishing the European Community provided (before it was amended by the Treaty of Lisbon ) that ‘ the Council , meeting in the composition of Heads of State or Government and acting by a qualified majority, shall nominate the person it intends to appoint as President of the Commission ’ (emphasis added); the same rule applied in some monetary policy provisions introduced by
10302-500: Was primarily responsible for preparing and chairing the Council meetings, and had no executive powers other than the task of representing the Union externally. Now the leader of the Council Presidency country can still act as president when the permanent president is absent. Almost all members of the European Council are members of a political party at the national level. Most of them are also members of political alliances at
10404-468: Was the Count of Holland (as is the case with nearby 's-Gravenzande ). The spelling ' s-Gravenhage was officially used for the city from the 17th century onward. Today, this name is only used in some official documents such as birth and marriage certificates. The city itself uses Den Haag in all its communications. The post office specifies that letters should be addressed to ' s-Gravenhage , but
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