Reinier advises national and international companies
reinier.russell@russell.nl +31 20 301 55 55Is it allowed to establish business premises at a certain location or is it just a residential area? What is the permissible height of a building and are there any more conditions regarding construction or use? In the Netherlands, all these things can be found in a zoning plan. In a zoning plan, a certain purpose is assigned to plots of land and rules are set regarding the use of buildings on these plots
The use determines the function of a plot of land in the zoning plan. The function determines what can be done with the ground. For instance, a building can be attributed the function residential, or a number of plots of land can be labelled as shopping or catering area.
A zoning plan consists of three different elements, namely
Would you like to know whether you are allowed to build on a certain plot or what conditions the buildings have to meet? This can be found in the zoning plan at the municipality. Zoning plans are drafted in the Dutch language. We can assist you in finding the applicable zoning plan and will gladly provide you with an explanation of the included rules:
ANBI status makes it even more attractive to make donations, gifts and bequests to charities. What requirements must an institution meet in order to obtain and retain this status? When is something considered to be of public benefit? What information must an ANBI publish?
Since 28 June 2025, a new EU regulation requires anyone wishing to import cultural goods into the EU to have an import licence or submit an importer’s declaration. When is which type of document required? How does it affect art dealers, galleries, auction houses and collectors, both inside and outside the EU?
Special rules may apply to the termination of a lease of business premises, depending on the nature of the business. What rules apply to termination? How do these relate to the statutory lease terms? Are you entitled to compensation if the landlord terminates the lease? What are your rights as a subtenant?
Employees who consume alcohol and drugs during work or who want to work under the influence remain a problem for employers. What measures can you take against this? Are you allowed to test an employee if you suspect they are under the influence?
Stolen cultural objects must be returned to the country of origin. What are your rights and duties if you have bought art in good faith that is claimed to have been stolen?
What should you bear in mind if you want to change the rent for your business premises? When are you allowed to adjust the price yourself? And in which cases do you have to go to court?
