August 10, 2025
Exit Signs Partnership with CLW in Netherlands
For many years now, Exit International (based in Australia but operating internationally) and Cooperatie Laatste Wil – known as CLW or ‘Last Will Cooperation’ – in the Netherlands have spearheaded the global, self-help approach to a good death.
This month the two organisations have signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) to work together on promoting practical, self-determination globally.
Neither organisation is much interested in advocacy for law reform for the seriously ill.
The members of both organisations have a priority on self-help options.
They tend not to want medical involvement or oversight of their end of life decision-making.
Instead, they want control and their autonomy respected. Self-determination is the main goal.
There is also the strong belief in both groups that a good death is a fundamental human right and should not be dependent upon a person’s degree of illness.
Being old and rational is reason enough to want to plan for a good death and to ensure that one has the information and means required.
The signed MoU states that the organisations will collaborate on various projects, in particular R&D (eg. the Sarco) and jointly disseminate and educate the public on the results of the research
The collaboration is expected to produce tangible and practical results for the members of both groups.
It is also expected that the joint action will form the grounds for forcing governments to relax the ridiculously strict rules that currently govern assisted dying in both countries.
A joint conference is in the planning for 2026 in Amsterdam. Watch this space!
Frans Copini (Interim Chair of CLW) & Exit Founder, Philip Nitschke