International collaboration is vital for RIVM. It enables us to keep abreast of the latest global research and innovative developments. It enhances and strengthens our knowledge base and, as a result, improves the quality of our research and policy advice. RIVM shares knowledge and expertise abroad. We participate in a wide range of international research and innovation projects to help solve some of the biggest societal challenges, for instance, climate change.
For more than 100 years, RIVM has been promoting public health and safeguarding a healthy and safe environment. We have a central role in infectious disease control, national prevention and population screening programmes and monitoring our population’s health and the state of our environment. We support citizens, professionals and national and local authorities in the challenge of keeping ourselves and our environment healthy, safe and sustainable. Our ambition is to be a trusted advisor using independent research as the basis for our advisory work. Below we present some of the global challenges we work on and elaborate on our tasks and international activities.
Highlighted themes
What we do
COVID-19 in the Netherlands
RIVM advises the Dutch government on how to control the coronavirus as effectively as possible, monitors the COVID-19 outbreak and conducts research into SARS-CoV-2. RIVM is coordinating the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccinations in the Netherlands. Our institute is responsible for coordinating the storage and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in the Netherlands (including the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, St Eustatius, Saba, Curaçao and St Maarten).
We provide weekly updates and data on COVID-19 in the Netherlands. In addition to our general COVID-19 weekly epidemiological update, we also publish a COVID-19 weekly update for the CAS and BES islands: the islands of Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten and the special municipalities Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.
Would you like to be kept informed on our work and activities? Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter. Read our international newsletter issue 4, 2022.
Information for refugees from Ukraine
RIVM has developed a dedicated website for Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. This portal serves as a first point of access to our information about screening programmes, tuberculosis, vaccinations and more. The information is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.
News
New risk limits for 18 pesticides in surface water

COVID-19 vaccine uptake related to neighbourhood demographics

Provisional figures on participation in the National Immunisation Programme
According to RIVM’s registration system, at least 90% of babies have been vaccinated against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR).

Urgent need for more research into environmental effects of microplastics

Proposed European PFAS ban officially submitted

More than two million invitations to get vaccinated against HPV in 2023
