The Permanent Representative

Thijs van der Plas

Permanent Representative in Brussels
Thijs van der Plas was appointed Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels in 2022.
The Permanent Representative represents the Netherlands in the North Atlantic Council (NAC), the highest decision-making forum within NATO. The NAC meets several times per week. The Permanent Representative is advised by the Permanent Military Representative.

Curriculum Vitae Thijs van der Plas

Mr. Thijs van der Plas studied Law and Political Science at the University of Leiden.
Since 1992 Mr. Van Plas is a diplomat in the service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he has held various positions, both at the Ministry in The Hague and several posting outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Previous positions held by Mr. Thijs van der Plas:

2019 – 2022 - Director General for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague

2016 – 2019 - Director General for European Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague (abroad Deputy Minister for European Affairs)

2013 – 2016 - Deputy Director General for European Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague

2009 – 2013 - Deputy Head of Mission, Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ankara, Turkey

2005 – 2009 - Chief Legal advisor, Netherlands Permanent Representation to the EU

January – June 2005 - Head of government team for the referendum on the European Constitution, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague

2002 – 2004 - Head of negotiating team for the European Constitution, European Integration Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague

1998 – 2002 - Netherlands Permanent Representation to NATO, Focal Point European defence

1995 – 1998 - Royal Netherlands Embassy in Sofia Bulgaria, Head of Economic Section

1992 – 1995 - European Directorate, Eastern Europe section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague

1991 - Teacher, Faculty of Law, University of Amsterdam