The Netherlands and Mexico have agreed to cooperate on energy research and sustainability.

In the course of an official visit by Queen Beatrix to Mexico an agreement was signed, committing both countries to exchange technological information about oil and gas exploration. The Netherlands will also support the building of CO2 storage facilities in Mexico.

Greenhouse gas emissions
Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, who is accompanying his mother on the visit, told an energy conference in Mexico City that all nations of the world should agree without delay to curb greenhouse gas emissions. This would guarantee that the Copenhagen climate summit in December will be a success, he said. He said to the conference, "Let us not go down in history as yet another generation that could have acted, but chose not to".

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen presented Mexico with a gift on the occasion of the country's 200th independence anniversary. The present, a scheme to promote the use of the bicycle, is an initiative of Dutch companies in Mexico, who want to get local workers to use bikes more often. As part of the gift, local authorities will be helped with the development of policies to make cycling safe.

The four-day Dutch royal visit to Mexico will end on Friday.