Netherlands ratifies convention on compensation commission for Ukraine

The Netherlands on Tuesday, September 15, officially completed the ratification process for the Council of Europe convention establishing an International Compensation Commission for Ukraine. The announcement came from the Council of Europe's press service, as reported by the outlet "European Pravda".

The Netherlands' permanent representative to the Council of Europe, Ambassador André Haspels, submitted the relevant document to the organization's headquarters in Strasbourg. With this step, ratification has now been completed by nine countries plus the European Union. Twenty-five ratifications are required for the convention to enter into force.

Dutch role in preparations

The Netherlands played a leading role in negotiating the convention and currently chairs the preparatory committee, established in February 2026 by decision of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, which handles operational and practical preparations for launching the commission. The Compensation Commission is to be based in The Hague.

Second element of the mechanism

The Compensation Commission is the second element of a broader compensation mechanism for Ukraine covering damage caused by Russia's war of aggression. The body will review and decide on claims submitted by affected parties through the Register of Damage.

In late August, the Register of Damage began accepting claims in several categories for the Ukrainian state and legal entities, as well as for individuals' job losses. In September, the register opened claim submissions for the three remaining categories for businesses.