Kingdom of the Netherlands and France sign agreement on mutual right of hot pursuit
On 10 March 2026, on St Maarten, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the French Republic signed a bilateral agreement concerning the mutual right of hot pursuit in the waters surrounding St Maarten/Saint-Martin. The Prime Minister of St Maarten, Luc Mercelina, signed on behalf of the Kingdom, and the French Minister of Overseas Territories, Naïma Moutchou, signed on behalf of the French Republic.
In this agreement, the French maritime services and the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard have made arrangements with regard to joint maritime law enforcement in the territorial seas of the French Republic and of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The aim is to strengthen joint efforts to prevent, investigate and prosecute offences, particularly in the context of maritime counter-drug operations. Combating drug smuggling in the Caribbean area is a top priority for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Close cooperation with partner countries, including European partners such as France, is essential in this respect.
This agreement is designated as an implementing agreement under the Agreement Concerning Co-operation in Suppressing Illicit Maritime and Air Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in the Caribbean Area (San José, 10 April 2003).