ABSTRACT
The Netherlands is one of the smallest European countries, situated in the north west of mainland Europe. A further significant feature of the Netherlands is the fact that it has the largest population density in the European Community, and therefore has always seen major pressure on its agriculture industry, which at 68% covers less land than in most of Europe. The Netherlands, in common with Spain and the United Kingdom, is a monarchy which means that the monarch is, in constitutional terms, the head of State and all acts of government are done in the name of the monarch. There is a long history of nature conservation and general environmental concern in the Netherlands. The voluntary sector in the Netherlands is therefore a significant National and Regional/local force in the broad spectrum of environmental conservation. The Netherlands has, on four separate occasions, been condemned by the European Court of Justice for non-compliance.
