Do national and international legal safeguards actually preserve the rule of law? Do legal systems reduce conflict and promote productive social and economic interaction? Van Dijk's focus is on the characteristics and performance of legal systems from the perspective of the intrinsic value of the rule of law but also from the perspective of promoting a peaceful and affluent society. He uses in particular data about the judiciaries of Europe that on his initiative have been gathered by the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary. He is also doing research on the economic aspects of legal systems. Van Dijk works part-time at the Netherlands Council for the Judiciary as advisor on, in particular, the above subjects.