Thijs van der Plas
Permanent Representative – Netherlands
2022
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