The budget cycle spans three calendar years. The House of Representatives checks if the budgets have been properly implemented. The Netherlands Court of Audit presents its reports on the annual reports of the government departments.

The Minister of Finance presents the annual reports to the House of Representatives. Third Wednesday in May: Accountability Day.Ministers draw up annual reports that are assessed by the Netherlands Court of Audit. First quarter: the Central Government's annual report and the report of the Netherlands Court of Audit.The Minister of Finance presents the Autumn Memorandum and the accompanying supplementary budget bills. Before 1 June: Spring Memorandum The Minister of Finance presents the Spring Memorandum and the accompanying supplementary budget bills.The Minister of Finance draws up the so-called Framework letter, stating the windfalls, shortfalls and financial claims of ministers for new policy. End of March, begin of April: Framework letter.The ministers set out to implement their budgets. The House can amend the budget, but the senate does not have the right to do so. The House of Representatives and the Senate consider the budget. The Minister of Finance presents the national budget and the Budget Memorandum to the House of Representatives. Third Tuesday in September: Prince's Day.On Prince's Day, the budgets are presented to the House of Representatives in the form of bills. Subsequently, the proposals are submitted for advice to the Council of State, which provides the Government and Parliament with advice on new legislation. In August, all the ministers jointly decide on the final draft of the National Budget for the coming year. Subsequently, the ministers discuss the main features of the new budget: the necessary spending and expected income.ĭuring the summer months, the separate budgets of the ministries are drawn up. Early in the year, the ministers make their wishes known to the ministry of Finance, which draws up the Spring Memorandum: an interim statement of windfalls and shortfalls in the current budget. Drafting a sound national budget requires a great deal of consultation between the Minister of Finance and the other ministers. The first steps are taken at the beginning of the year and the budget is finalised in August. The drafting of the budget follows an established time schedule.

Budget calendar