The Wadden Sea Council was instituted on 7 April 2003 by virtue of the Wadden Sea Council Act. The Council is also subject to the Advisory Bodies Framework Act. The Council is the sole independent advisory organ in the Netherlands that advises on a specific area. The Wadden Sea Council is placed organisationally with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the  Environment.

Wadden Sea Council
The Wadden Sea Council provides solicited and unsolicited advice on matters of general importance to the Wadden Sea region. Much of the advice is intended for the government and is issued to the Ministers and State Secretaries of Infrastructure and the Environment and Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. The Dutch House of Representatives is another important target group that receives advice. The Council also advises the Wadden Sea provinces and the municipal authorities in the area.

The Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment lays down the Wadden Sea Council's programme of activities each year. The annual report on the Council's activities during the previous calendar year is published prior to 1 April of each year.

National Wadden Sea policy
The national policy for the Wadden Sea is laid down in the Key Planning Decision 'Third Wadden Sea Memorandum', entitled 'Development of the Wadden Sea for Nature and Man'. This memorandum sets out the government policy for the next 10 years. The policy centres on the conservation and the sustainable development of the Wadden Sea region. The Third Wadden Sea Memorandum supersedes the Wadden Sea Memorandum of 1993. The Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment is the coordinating minister for the Dutch Wadden Sea policy.

Trilateral Wadden Sea policy
As well as the national Wadden Sea policy, international Wadden Sea policy has been developed for the three Wadden Sea countries: Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. These countries organise a joint governmental conference once every four years. During these conferences the governments evaluate the international Wadden Sea policy and discuss proposals for additional policy, management and regulation. The most recent Trilateral Ministerial Conference was held on 2 November 2005 on Schiermonnikoog. The Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality is the coordinating minister for the trilateral Wadden Sea policy. The policy is embodied in the Trilateral Ministerial Declaration and the Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan (management plan).

The Wadden Sea Council is an independent advisory council with a chair and four members with the expertise and experience in one (or more) of the many policy sectors relevant to the Wadden Sea region.

The Council meets ten times a year. During these meetings the Council discusses the recommendations. Recommendations are generally discussed twice at a plenary meeting before being adopted.

During the advisory process the Council also organises meetings with external parties where possible.
The Council holds regular consultations with the relevant ministers and the Wadden Sea provincial and municipal authorities to discuss developments in the area and the Council's recommendations.
The Council also pays regular working visits to the Wadden Sea region.
Furthermore the Council actively participates in the network of the European Environmental and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC). The Council is a current member of the EEAC Marine Environment Working group.