Editing Netherlands Antilles (section)

=== Dissolution ===
{{main|Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles}}
[[File:Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1959–1986).svg|thumb|right|Flag of the Netherlands Antilles before Aruba seceded in 1986]]

Even though the referendums held in the early 1990s resulted in a vote in favour of retaining the Netherlands Antilles, the arrangement continued to be an unhappy one. Between June 2000 and April 2005, each island of the Netherlands Antilles had a new referendum on its future status. The four options that could be voted on were the following:
* closer ties with the Netherlands
* remaining within the Netherlands Antilles
* autonomy as a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (''[[status aparte]]'')
* independence

Of the five islands, Sint Maarten and Curaçao voted for ''status aparte'', Saba and Bonaire voted for closer ties with the Netherlands, and Sint Eustatius voted to stay within the Netherlands Antilles.

On 26 November 2005, a Round Table Conference (RTC) was held between the governments of the Netherlands, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and each island in the Netherlands Antilles. The final statement to emerge from the RTC stated that autonomy for Curaçao and Sint Maarten, plus a new status for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (BES) would come into effect by 1 July 2007.<ref name="bzk2">{{cite web |publisher=Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations |title=Closing statement of the first Round Table Conference |url=http://english.minbzk.nl//subjects/aruba-and-the/publications/@70051/closing_statement_of |date=26 November 2005 |access-date=19 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121171959/http://english.minbzk.nl//subjects/aruba-and-the/publications/@70051/closing_statement_of |archive-date=21 November 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 12 October 2006, the Netherlands reached an agreement with Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba: this agreement would make these islands special municipalities.<ref>{{cite web |author=Radio Netherlands |title=Caribbean islands become Dutch municipalities |url=http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/ant061012mc |date=12 October 2006 |access-date=2 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20061213212643/http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/ant061012mc |archive-date=13 December 2006 }}</ref>

On 3 November 2006, Curaçao and Sint Maarten were granted autonomy in an agreement,<ref>{{cite news |title=Curaçao and St Maarten to have country status |url=http://www.government.nl/News/Press_releases_and_news_items/2006/November/Cura_ao_and_St_Maarten_to_have_country_status |publisher=Government.nl |date=3 November 2006 |access-date=21 January 2008}}</ref> but this agreement was rejected by the then island council of Curaçao on 28 November.<ref name="bzk">{{cite web |publisher=Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations |title=Curacao rejects final agreement |url=http://www.minbzk.nl/bzk2006uk/subjects?ActItmIdt=103621 |date=29 November 2006 |access-date=2 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930183633/http://www.minbzk.nl/bzk2006uk/subjects?ActItmIdt=103621 |archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref> The Curaçao government was not sufficiently convinced that the agreement would provide enough autonomy for Curaçao.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nu.nl/news/901903/11/Cura%E7ao_verwerpt_slotakkoord.html |title=Curaçao verwerpt slotakkoord |date=29 November 2006 |publisher=Nu.nl |access-date=2010-10-10 |archive-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016105827/https://www.nu.nl/algemeen/901903/curaao-verwerpt-slotakkoord.html?redirect=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 9 July 2007 the new island council of Curaçao approved the agreement previously rejected in November 2006.<ref name="approved">{{cite web |author=The Daily Herald St. Maarten |title=Curaçao IC ratifies November 2 accord |url=http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k045/ratify045.html |date=9 July 2007 |access-date=13 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711181904/http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k045/ratify045.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=11 July 2007}}</ref> A [[Curaçao status referendum, 2009|subsequent referendum]] approved the agreement as well.

The acts of parliament integrating the [[Caribbean Netherlands|"BES" islands]] ('''B'''onaire, Sint '''E'''ustatius and '''S'''aba) into the Netherlands were given royal assent on 17 May 2010. After ratification by the Netherlands (6 July), the Netherlands Antilles (20 August), and Aruba (4 September), the ''Kingdom act amending the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands with regard to the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles'' was signed by the three countries in the closing Round Table Conference on 9 September 2010 in [[The Hague]].