Who has to comply
Public-sector since 2018 via Tijdelijk Besluit; private-sector under the Dutch EAA Implementatiewet from 28 June 2025.
The Netherlands is a highly digitised, English-comfortable market that many international sellers use as a logistics and e-commerce hub, so cross-border exposure is high. Under the Dutch EAA Implementatiewet, a foreign store selling to Dutch consumers is covered on the country-of-consumption basis, and the Dutch regime is notable for penalties reaching up to 10% of annual turnover for repeat offenders, one of the steeper multipliers in the EU. Dutch consumers are accustomed to the Digitoegankelijk statement, so an absent or vague conformance declaration stands out quickly.
What the law actually requires
Tijdelijk Besluit + EAA Wet sets the technical bar at WCAG 2.1 Level AA via EN 301 549. On top of it, Tijdelijk besluit digitale toegankelijkheid overheid lists these operational duties:
- EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA
- Public accessibility statement using the Digitoegankelijk template
- Conformance status disclosed (full / partial / non-conformant)
Penalties and how enforcement actually works
Up to 10% of annual turnover for repeat offenders.
The Netherlands runs a split model: Logius / Digitoegankelijk drives the mature public-sector monitoring programme, while the ACM (Authority for Consumers and Markets) handles private-sector consumer enforcement. The Dutch approach leans on transparency and status disclosure — covered services are expected to publish whether they are fully, partially or non-conformant, with a remediation plan for anything less than full. Persistent partial-conformance status without visible progress is precisely what invites ACM attention, so the declared status is treated as an enforcement signal, not a formality.
Reading the Tijdelijk Besluit + EAA Wet at the source
The law is cited as Tijdelijk besluit digitale toegankelijkheid overheid + EAA Implementatiewet (Tijdelijk besluit digitale toegankelijkheid overheid). Enforcement: Logius (public sector) and ACM (private sector). Key date: 28 June 2025. For the exact wording, read the official reference for Netherlands listed under Sources below.
Sources
- Digitoegankelijk
- European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) · European Commission
Links checked 12 October 2026. Not legal advice. Methodology · About Certvo
Frequently asked questions
Is partial conformance acceptable?
It is acceptable to declare partial conformance with a remediation plan, but full conformance is the legal target. Persistent partial status invites enforcement.