Differences between Dutch and European labeling

Recently, the Dutch Parliament found that Dutch laws and regulations regarding information on labels are significantly stricter than European regulations. In fact, European directives establish a broader language guideline for labels. Moreover, in 2020, the European Commission calculated that consumers within the European Union pay about 14 billion euros too much for everyday products, while producers benefit from the free European market.

In view of the principle of free movement of goods within the EU, the House believes that laws and regulations, such as labeling requirements, should not conflict with this principle. Therefore, the House requests the government to conduct an inventory of existing laws and regulations, including language requirements, that currently hinder the free movement of goods between member states.

The Parliament also requests the government to inform the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the results of the inventory, accompanied by a proposal as to how these obstacles to the sale of products within the European internal market can be removed, before the budget debate.

The Parliament believes that removing these barriers is essential to ensure a fair and competitive European market. Promoting the free movement of goods will not only benefit consumers, but also enable producers to take full advantage of the European market.

Read the letter