Every sovereign state prepares, in its own way, for a response to major disasters. However well prepared, it may happen that a country needs specialist assistance from other countries the scale of the disaster exceeds internal capability. Many countries are willing to provide this assistance. International agreements have been established and organisations founded to make cross-border collaboration in various areas possible, such as providing and receiving assistance in the event of a disaster. As there are many international organisations and alliances, it may be hard to acquire a clear overview. It must also be considered that agreements, organisations and alliances are continuously developing. This knowledge publication is therefore a general indication giving insight into the complex world of international disaster response and role that the Netherlands plays.