Defence minister Jeanine Hennis plans to extend military service to girls when they reach the age of 17 and will submit legislation making this possible to parliament this autumn.

Military service was actually abolished in the Netherlands in 1997 but boys can still theoretically be called up when they reach the age of 17.

Hennis said in a briefing to MPs that she has no intention of bringing back active service, but that in this day and age men and women should be subject to the same legal requirement.

If the legislation goes through, all girls in the Netherlands will be sent a letter when they are 17 telling them that they can be called up to serve in the armed forces.