“The Coastal Pact is the place to engage in conversation about an area that is so important for people and nature. Let’s continue to seek dialogue together. For the fun things but also when it occasionally grates, because sand can be a bit abrasive,” said deputy Anne Koning after she wrote her name in the sand as a signature of the new Coastal Pact 2026-2030.

Coastal Pact 2026-2030

During the Dutch Coastal Days on October 1 and 2, administrators, authorities, social organizations, and entrepreneurs signed the new Coastal Pact 2026-2030. Minister Mona Keijzer signed the administrative agreements on behalf of the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO). The pact will come into effect on January 1, 2026, and will run until 2030. The current Coastal Pact (2017–2025) will expire at the end of this year.

Good Balance

With a length of 523 kilometers, 850 plant species, and 140 bird species, the Dutch coast is an icon that increasingly attracts visitors. Continued growth of tourism and recreation in the coastal zone offers opportunities for coastal municipalities and entrepreneurs but also increases pressure on nature, landscape, and living environment. Therefore, the new Coastal Pact focuses on finding a good balance between tourism, recreation, and the beach economy, as well as preserving the core qualities of the coast and the quality of the living environment.

Area Authority

Within the Coastal Pact, the coastal provinces have been given the responsibility for drawing up a zoning and coastal vision for their own coastal area. They incorporate the agreements from the pact to protect and further develop the coast. Provinces indicate the locations where new construction is possible (under certain conditions) and where it is definitively prohibited. This leads to better protection of the coastal landscape. Anne Koning: “I find it very important that we continue to have good conversations about the balance between people and nature. As a province, we will play an important role in this.”

Close Network

Before she signed, Minister Keijzer emphasized the importance of continued cooperation in the Coastal Pact: “Governments, entrepreneurs, and nature organizations have become a close network. We will continue this in the coming years by informing each other early and seeking solutions together – as co-owners of our valuable coast.”

The full Coastal Pact 2026–2030 will be published online this autumn.