After law studies at Nijmegen University, Charles Rutten became Secretary for International Affairs in the Catholic People’s Party (KVP) in the Hague (1947-1952). In 1950, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was named head of the Benelux Department. In 1952 he is Dutch representative to the ‚Secretariat of the Interim Committee of the European Defense Community’ in Paris. Returned to the Hague in 1953 he is in charge of Western European Co-operation and European Integration matters. After having assisted W. Beyen in Messina, he was appointed secretary to the Dutch delegation in the two Spaak Committees. From 1957 to 1960 he is advisor on International Atomic Affairs (1957-1960) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 1960 to 1969 deputy ‚Permanent Representative’ to the European Communities in Brussels and from 1969 ‘Economic Counselor’ at the Dutch Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. Back in the Hague in 1972 he is deputy Director-general for International Co-operation and Director-general for Political Affairs in 1974. From 1980 to 1986 he is Permanent Representative to the European Communities in Brussels.