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What is the role of the Crown members?

Those members of the Council appointed by the Crown are independent experts (22 in total: 11 members and 11 deputy members). They are appointed by the King at the Cabinet’s proposal, but they do not represent the government. They are not obliged to consult with the government or act in accordance with the government's instructions. Crown members include representatives of the Dutch Central Bank [Nederlandsche Bank] and the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis [Centraal Planbureau] One of the Crown members also serves as the Chair.

The duty of the Crown members is to serve the public interest. Their role also involves seeking compromises when employers and employees are unable to reach consensus. The individuals who make up the group of Crown members are selected because they represent the most important political movements and relevant scholarly or scientific disciplines. The committees preparing the advisory reports are always chaired by a Crown member. The Crown members are not ‘employed’ by the Council, they usually work at a university. The time they spend on work for the Council or in its committees varies quite a lot per person and also varies in different periods. On average, it comes down to about four hours a week.