It handles the secretariat of the Committee of Ministers, the Council of Economic Union and the various committees and working parties. Moreover, it ensures the registry of the Benelux Court of Justice.

Being strictly neutral, the General Secretariat is also extremely well fit to bridge differences between the consultative partners.

Besides giving support the Secretariat also supplies the necessary knowledge and experience. If only to help to match the often widely divergent administrative and government cultures on both sides of the border. This permanent point of support has the advantage that the experience acquired by collaborating can be used actively and that connections can be made between different initiatives.

The Secretariat has an extensive network of contact points with numerous governments and institutions for the benefit of the cooperating partners. In practice, ignorance of political and government cultures on the other side of the border is indeed often the biggest barrier to cooperation. By using the services of the Secretariat, one can find quickly and efficiently one’s way on the other side of the border.