The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been headquartered in The Hague since 1997, following the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The relationship between the OPCW and the Netherlands is governed by a Host State Agreement (Zetelakkoord) that grants the organisation legal personality under Dutch law, provides diplomatic privileges and immunities to the organisation and its international staff, and establishes the terms under which the OPCW operates on Dutch territory.
Staff employed directly by the OPCW hold the status of international civil servants and are subject to the OPCW Staff Regulations and the terms of the Host State Agreement, rather than Dutch employment law in most respects. This includes exemption from Dutch income tax on OPCW remuneration and a separate social security arrangement. The OPCW also engages contractors and secondees, whose employment status and legal protections differ from those of international civil servants and are more closely aligned with standard Dutch or EU frameworks.
The Hague hosts a number of major international organisations alongside the OPCW, including Europol, Eurojust, the ICC, and the OPCW's counterpart bodies. This concentration makes the city a distinct market for internationally mobile professionals with experience in law, chemistry, forensic science, communications, and international administration.