Twenty-one countries have a rotating seat on the World Heritage Committee (Commité du Patrimoine Mondial). Members of the Committee are elected every two years from the list of countries that have signed the Convention and may remain on the Committee for a maximum of six consecutive years.

The Netherlands currently has a seat on the Committee for the period 2003 to 2007, under the supervision of Dr. R. van der Ploeg, former State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OC&W).

In its annual meeting, the Committee decides which nominated sites should be inscribed on the World Heritage List. The Committee is also responsible for the World Heritage in Danger List, reactive monitoring, international aid programmes, the World Heritage Fund and implementation of the agreements as contained in the Convention.

The Secretariat of the World Heritage Committee is also referred to as the World Heritage Centre and is also based in Paris.