The Netherlands has announced that it will donate € 700,000 to the PCA Financial Assistance Fund. The announcement came at a meeting of the Administrative Council on April 23, 2008. The funds will be made available over a period of four years, with the first instalment of € 175,000 to be made in 2008.

The Financial Assistance Fund was set up in 1994 to help developing countries defray the costs involved in international arbitration or other means of dispute settlement offered by the PCA.

The Netherlands encouraged other Member States to contribute to the Financial Assistance Fund. In June 2008, Lebanon made a voluntary contribution of US$ 2,000 to the Financial Assistance Fund.