# Dutch — General Legal Sub-Lexicon

Auto-generated from translation experience. Maps Dutch legal terms to their correct
English equivalents. Loaded automatically when translating Dutch documents and
supplements the main English-only lexicons in `references/`.

Covers standard Netherlands Dutch (civil-law, Burgerlijk Wetboek / BW) with notes on
Belgian Dutch (Flemish) variants where they diverge — Belgian Dutch draws on the
Belgian Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek / Code civil) and Gerechtelijk Wetboek.

## Universal Legal Terms

| Dutch | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| een overeenkomst aangaan / sluiten | to enter into an agreement | |
| een recht vestigen / doen ontstaan | to create / establish a right | |
| een recht verlenen / toekennen | to grant a right | |
| ten behoeve van / ten gunste van | in favour of | |
| verklaringen en garanties | representations and warranties | Not "declarations"; English uses "representations" |
| verbintenissen / verplichtingen | undertakings / obligations | |
| algemene bepalingen / slotbepalingen | miscellaneous / general provisions / final provisions | |
| toepasselijk recht en forumkeuze | governing law and jurisdiction | |
| domiciliekeuze / woonplaatskeuze | service address / election of domicile | |
| partiële nietigheid / conversie | severability / conversion | BW Art. 3:42 (conversion) |
| wijziging / aanvulling | amendment / supplement | |
| kennisgevingen / mededelingen | notices | |
| in aanmerking nemende dat / overwegende dat | whereas / considering that | |
| derhalve komen partijen het volgende overeen | now, therefore, the parties agree | |
| rechtsopvolgers / rechtverkrijgenden | successors and assigns | |
| (rechts)persoon | (legal) person | Rechtspersoon = legal entity; natuurlijke persoon = natural person |
| vermogen | assets / estate | Context-dependent |
| uit welken hoofde ook / op welke grond ook | on any basis whatsoever | |
| lid (van een artikel) | paragraph (of an article) | BW drafting: artikel, lid, sub |
| exemplaar | counterpart | |
| maakt integraal deel uit van | forms an integral part of | |
| afstand (van recht) | waiver | |
| overdracht (contract) / cessie (vordering) | assignment / transfer | Overdracht = transfer of contract; cessie = assignment of claims (BW 3:94) |
| toepasselijke wet- en regelgeving | applicable law and regulations | |
| derde | third party | |
| bevoegde autoriteit | competent authority | |
| statutaire zetel | registered office | |
| feitelijke vestigingsplaats | principal place of business | |
| Kamer van Koophandel (KvK) | Chamber of Commerce | |
| KvK-nummer / handelsregisternummer | Chamber of Commerce / trade register number | |
| BTW-nummer / btw-identificatienummer | VAT number / VAT ID | |
| omzetbelasting / BTW | turnover tax / VAT | Wet op de omzetbelasting 1968 |
| vennootschapsbelasting (Vpb) | corporate income tax | Wet op de vennootschapsbelasting 1969 |
| loonbelasting | payroll / wage tax | Withheld at source by employer |
| inkomstenbelasting (IB) | personal income tax | Wet IB 2001 |
| dividendbelasting | dividend withholding tax | Wet op de dividendbelasting 1965 — typically 15% |
| accijns | excise duty | On alcohol, tobacco, fuels |
| overdrachtsbelasting | real estate transfer tax | See dutch-real-estate |
| fiscaal nummer / RSIN | tax identification number / legal entity number | RSIN = Rechtspersonen en Samenwerkingsverbanden Identificatienummer |
| BSN | citizen service number | Burgerservicenummer — natural persons only |
| geplaatst (aandelen)kapitaal | issued share capital | |
| geplaatst en gestort kapitaal | issued and paid-up capital | |
| maatschappelijk kapitaal | authorised share capital | Historical concept; abolished for BVs since 2012 |
| considerans | recitals | |
| bijlagen | schedules / annexes | Bijlage = annex/schedule |
| rangorde / voorrang van bepalingen | order of precedence | |
| vrij van bezwaringen / onbelast | free of encumbrances | |
| opschortende voorwaarden | conditions precedent | |
| ontbindende voorwaarden | conditions subsequent / resolutive conditions | |
| hierbij / bij deze | hereby | |
| tegenprestatie / vergoeding | consideration | |
| volledige overeenkomst / integrale overeenkomst | entire agreement | |
| redelijkheid en billijkheid | reasonableness and fairness / good faith | BW 6:2, 6:248 — not equivalent to common-law good faith; closer to general principles of justice |
| te goeder trouw | in good faith | BW 3:11 (subjective good faith in property law) |
| goede zeden | public morals / public policy | BW 3:40 — grounds for nullity |
| openbare orde | public order / public policy | |
| rechtshandeling | juridical act / legal act | Central BW concept (BW 3:33) — declaration of will with legal effect |
| onrechtmatige daad | tort / wrongful act | BW 6:162 — Dutch tort doctrine; broader than common-law tort |
| toerekening | attribution / imputation | BW 6:162 element |
| in rechte optreden | to appear in court / institute proceedings | |
| rechtens / van rechtswege | by operation of law / ipso iure | |
| voor zoveel nodig / voor zover vereist | to the extent required | |
| onverminderd | without prejudice to | |
| niettegenstaande | notwithstanding | |
| mits / tenzij | provided that / unless | |
| onder voorbehoud van | subject to | |

## Cross-Reference Conventions

| Dutch | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artikel (intern in contract) | Clause | English drafting convention |
| Artikel (wetgeving) | Article / Section | |
| lid | paragraph | Subdivision of an article |
| sub (a, b, c) | sub-paragraph / sub-clause | Further subdivision |
| Bijlage | Schedule (UK) / Annex (EU/international) | |
| Aanhangsel | Appendix | |
| Considerans / Preambule | Recitals / Preamble | |
| hierboven / hieronder | above / below | |
| deze akte / deze overeenkomst | this Deed / this Agreement | |
| de onderhavige overeenkomst | this Agreement | |

## Key Dutch Legislative and Regulatory References

| Dutch | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Burgerlijk Wetboek (BW) | Dutch Civil Code | Cite by book and article: BW 6:162 = Book 6, Article 162 |
| BW Boek 1 (Personen- en familierecht) | Civil Code Book 1 (Persons and Family Law) | |
| BW Boek 2 (Rechtspersonen) | Civil Code Book 2 (Legal Entities) | Core corporate law |
| BW Boek 3 (Vermogensrecht algemeen) | Civil Code Book 3 (Property Law — General) | |
| BW Boek 4 (Erfrecht) | Civil Code Book 4 (Succession Law) | |
| BW Boek 5 (Zakelijke rechten) | Civil Code Book 5 (Rights In Rem) | |
| BW Boek 6 (Verbintenissenrecht algemeen) | Civil Code Book 6 (Law of Obligations — General) | |
| BW Boek 7 (Bijzondere overeenkomsten) | Civil Code Book 7 (Specific Contracts) | |
| BW Boek 7A (Bijzondere overeenkomsten — oud) | Civil Code Book 7A (Specific Contracts — Old) | Transitional provisions |
| BW Boek 8 (Verkeersmiddelen en vervoer) | Civil Code Book 8 (Transport) | |
| BW Boek 10 (Internationaal privaatrecht) | Civil Code Book 10 (Private International Law) | |
| Wetboek van Koophandel (WvK) | Commercial Code | Largely superseded by BW; still applicable to marine insurance, etc. |
| Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering (Rv) | Code of Civil Procedure | |
| Wetboek van Strafrecht (Sr) | Criminal Code | |
| Wetboek van Strafvordering (Sv) | Code of Criminal Procedure | |
| Algemene wet bestuursrecht (Awb) | General Administrative Law Act | |
| Faillissementswet (Fw) | Bankruptcy Act | Includes WSNP (debt restructuring) and surseance (moratorium) |
| Wet homologatie onderhands akkoord (WHOA) | Dutch Scheme Act | 2021 — Dutch restructuring scheme, analogous to UK scheme of arrangement |
| Wet op het financieel toezicht (Wft) | Financial Supervision Act | |
| Wet ter voorkoming van witwassen en financieren van terrorisme (Wwft) | Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act | |
| Algemene verordening gegevensbescherming (AVG) | GDPR / General Data Protection Regulation | Dutch implementation: Uitvoeringswet AVG (UAVG) |
| Mededingingswet (Mw) | Competition Act | Enforced by ACM (Autoriteit Consument en Markt) |
| Arbeidsomstandighedenwet (Arbowet) | Working Conditions Act | |
| Wet werk en zekerheid (Wwz) / WAB | Work and Security Act / Balanced Labour Market Act | WAB (2020) amended significant parts of Wwz |

## Dutch Courts and Institutions

| Dutch | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rechtbank | District Court | First instance; 11 district courts in the Netherlands |
| Gerechtshof | Court of Appeal | Four appellate courts (Amsterdam, Arnhem-Leeuwarden, Den Haag, Den Bosch) |
| Hoge Raad der Nederlanden | Supreme Court of the Netherlands | Court of cassation; reviews points of law only |
| Raad van State (Afdeling bestuursrechtspraak) | Council of State (Administrative Jurisdiction Division) | Supreme administrative court |
| Centrale Raad van Beroep (CRvB) | Central Appeals Tribunal | Social security and civil service appeals |
| College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven (CBb) | Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal | Administrative appeals in economic law |
| Netherlands Commercial Court (NCC) | Netherlands Commercial Court | English-language commercial division of Amsterdam Rechtbank/Hof (2019) |
| Ondernemingskamer | Enterprise Chamber | Specialised chamber of Amsterdam Court of Appeal — corporate disputes, inquiry proceedings (enquêteprocedure) |
| Openbaar Ministerie (OM) | Public Prosecution Service | |
| Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) | Authority for the Financial Markets | Securities / conduct regulator |
| De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) | Dutch Central Bank | Prudential regulator |
| Autoriteit Consument en Markt (ACM) | Authority for Consumers and Markets | Competition, consumer protection, regulated markets |
| Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP) | Dutch Data Protection Authority | |
| Belastingdienst | Tax and Customs Administration | |

## Forms of Entity and Roles

| Dutch | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid (B.V.) | private limited liability company | Equivalent to GmbH, SARL, Ltd |
| naamloze vennootschap (N.V.) | public limited liability company | Equivalent to AG, SA, plc |
| eenmanszaak | sole proprietorship / sole trader | No separate legal personality; owner personally liable |
| coöperatie | cooperative | |
| onderlinge waarborgmaatschappij | mutual insurance association | |
| stichting | foundation | Often used as STAK — stichting administratiekantoor (trust office foundation) for depositary receipts |
| vereniging | association | |
| vennootschap onder firma (VOF / v.o.f.) | general partnership | Partnership without legal personality |
| commanditaire vennootschap (CV) | limited partnership | Includes beherend vennoot (general partner) and commanditair vennoot (limited partner) |
| maatschap | professional partnership / civil partnership | Used by professionals (lawyers, accountants); being phased out in favour of new partnership law |
| bestuur / bestuurder | (management) board / managing director | BV/NV one-tier or two-tier board |
| raad van commissarissen (RvC) | supervisory board | Non-executive oversight at BV/NV |
| raad van toezicht (RvT) | supervisory council / supervisory board | Used at foundations, associations, healthcare/education entities (not at BV/NV) — functionally similar to RvC but statutory basis differs |
| algemene vergadering (AV) / algemene vergadering van aandeelhouders (AVA) | general meeting (of shareholders) / AGM | |
| aandeelhouder | shareholder | |
| volmacht | power of attorney | Volmacht can also mean "proxy" at a meeting |
| notaris | civil-law notary | Not a "notary public"; Dutch notaris is a qualified legal professional |
| notariële akte | notarial deed | Required for incorporation, share transfers of BV, mortgages, real estate transfers |
| advocaat | lawyer / attorney | Member of the bar (NOvA — Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten) |
| procureur (historical) | solicitor / procurator | Abolished in the Netherlands in 2008; still used in Belgium |
| deurwaarder | bailiff / judicial officer | |
| griffier | court clerk / registrar | |
| rechter-commissaris | supervisory judge / judge-commissary | In bankruptcy, criminal investigation, inquiry proceedings |
| curator | trustee in bankruptcy | Also means "guardian" in personal/family context |
| bewindvoerder | administrator | In WSNP (debt restructuring), suspension of payments, or adult guardianship |

## Signature Blocks and Cover Pages

| Dutch | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Namens: | On behalf of: | Signature-block header |
| Datum: | Date: | |
| Naam: | Name: | |
| Functie: | **Title:** | Never "Position", "Function", "Capacity", or "Role". The English signature-block convention is always "Title" for the signatory's corporate title. |
| Directeur | Managing Director | When the signatory is a BV/NV statutory director. Plain "Director" only when the signatory is a non-executive/board member or when the source clearly means a supervisory role. |
| Statutair directeur | Statutory Director / Managing Director | A "statutair directeur" is a director appointed in accordance with the articles of association (registered in the trade register) — most natural English is "Managing Director" unless the distinction from "titulair directeur" is legally material, in which case use "Statutory Director" with a gloss. |
| Titulair directeur | Senior Manager (with title) / non-statutory director | A "titulair directeur" holds the title "Director" but is not a statutory appointee — an employee with a senior title. Use "Senior Manager" or "Director (non-statutory)" depending on register; do not call them "Managing Director". |
| Procuratiehouder | Authorised Signatory | Holder of a registered *procuratie* (proxy/power of attorney) entered in the trade register. |
| Gevolmachtigde | Attorney / Authorised Signatory | Holder of a private power of attorney (not registered). "Authorised Signatory" on signature blocks. |
| Aldus overeengekomen: / Aldus overeengekomen en getekend: | Agreed as follows: / Agreed and signed: | Closing formula before signature blocks. |
| te dezen rechtsgeldig vertegenwoordigd door | duly represented for the purposes hereof by | Standard party-intro calque; the "te dezen" means "for this purpose", not literally "in this one" |
| ten deze rechtsgeldig vertegenwoordigd door | duly represented for the purposes hereof by | Older spelling of the same phrase |
| ondergetekenden | the undersigned | Plural standard form |
| Parafen | Initials | Footer/margin label for where parties initial pages |

## Common Legal Concepts and Phrases

| Dutch | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| rechtsgeldig | legally valid | |
| nietig | null and void | |
| vernietigbaar | voidable | |
| ontbinden (overeenkomst) | to terminate / rescind (contract) | BW 6:265 — substantive termination for breach |
| opzeggen | to give notice / terminate | Ongoing-relationship termination (notice-based) |
| ontbinding vs opzegging | rescission vs notice-termination | Key distinction in Dutch contract law — don't translate both as "termination" without flagging |
| tekortkoming | breach / failure to perform | BW 6:74 |
| verzuim | default | Requires ingebrekestelling (notice of default) unless waived |
| ingebrekestelling | notice of default / formal notice | BW 6:82 |
| schadevergoeding | damages / compensation | |
| boete / contractuele boete | liquidated damages / contractual penalty | BW 6:91–94 — may be moderated by court |
| dwangsom | penalty payment / astreinte | Court-ordered periodic penalty for non-compliance |
| aansprakelijkheid | liability | |
| uitsluiting van aansprakelijkheid | exclusion of liability | |
| vrijwaring | indemnity / indemnification / hold harmless | |
| exoneratie / exoneratiebeding | exemption / exemption clause | |
| algemene voorwaarden | general terms and conditions | BW 6:231–247 — strict rules on incorporation and fairness |
| kernbeding | core term | Not subject to general-terms unfairness test |
| grijze lijst / zwarte lijst | grey list / black list | BW 6:236 (black) and 6:237 (grey) — unfair-terms presumptions for B2C |
| consumentenrecht | consumer law | |
| ambtshalve toetsing | ex officio review | Court's duty to review unfair terms against consumers |
| onvoorziene omstandigheden | unforeseen circumstances / hardship | BW 6:258 — Dutch hardship doctrine; very high threshold |
| overmacht | force majeure | BW 6:75; narrower than French force majeure; linked to toerekening (attribution) |
| wanprestatie | breach of contract / non-performance | Traditional term; BW uses tekortkoming |
| dwaling | mistake / error | BW 6:228 — contract may be annulled |
| bedrog | fraud / deceit | BW 3:44 |
| misbruik van omstandigheden | undue influence | BW 3:44(4) |
| bedreiging | duress | BW 3:44(2) |
| wilsgebrek | defect of consent | Umbrella for dwaling, bedrog, bedreiging, misbruik van omstandigheden |
| contractsvrijheid | freedom of contract | |
| dwingend recht / regelend recht | mandatory law / default law | Important distinction — default rules can be contracted out; mandatory cannot |
| dispositief | default (law) | Can be derogated from by agreement |

## Notes for Translators

- **BW citation**: Cite as "BW 6:162" (Book:Article) or "Article 6:162 BW"; never "Article 162 BW" alone. On first mention, gloss as "Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek)".
- **redelijkheid en billijkheid**: Often translated "reasonableness and fairness" but conveys more — it is a general principle that fills gaps (aanvullende werking) and can override contractual terms (beperkende werking, BW 6:248(2)). Consider "good faith and fair dealing" with a gloss on first use, especially for readers from civil-law jurisdictions.
- **rechtshandeling**: Translate as "juridical act" (civilian term) or "legal act"; not "transaction" (which is rechtsbetrekking/overeenkomst-adjacent). Central concept uniting contracts, unilateral declarations, resolutions.
- **ontbinding vs opzegging vs vernietiging**: Three distinct termination-adjacent concepts. ontbinding = rescission for breach (retroactive-like unwinding, BW 6:265); opzegging = notice-based termination of ongoing relationships; vernietiging = annulment for defect of consent or invalidity (retroactive). Never translate all three as "termination".
- **notaris**: Dutch/Belgian civil-law notaries are a distinct profession from English "notaries public". They draft notarial deeds that have probative and executory force. Use "civil-law notary" on first mention and then "notary" with the context established.
- **advocaat**: Translate as "lawyer" or "attorney" in the Dutch sense. Not "advocate" (which in English implies a specific UK barrister-style role). The Dutch advocaat has rights of audience and can appear before all courts.
- **curator vs bewindvoerder**: curator in bankruptcy = "trustee in bankruptcy"; bewindvoerder in suspension of payments, WSNP, or guardianship = "administrator". curator in family context (adult incapacity) = "guardian". Always match the procedural context.
- **Rechtbank vs Gerechtshof vs Hoge Raad**: Three-tier system. Rechtbank = District Court (first instance); Gerechtshof = Court of Appeal; Hoge Raad = Supreme Court (cassation only, no fact review).
- **Ondernemingskamer**: A specialised chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal with exclusive jurisdiction over inquiry proceedings (enquêteprocedure) — mini-shareholder-derivative-style investigations into mismanagement. Translate as "Enterprise Chamber" with gloss.
- **NCC (Netherlands Commercial Court)**: English-language commercial court established 2019. Proceedings and judgments in English. Mention where relevant to dispute resolution clauses.
- **WHOA**: Dutch scheme for restructuring debts binding on dissenting creditors, modelled partly on UK scheme of arrangement and US Chapter 11. Translate as "Dutch Scheme" or "Dutch restructuring scheme" with gloss on first use.
- **Belgian Dutch vs Netherlands Dutch**: Belgian legal Dutch uses different terminology in places: "akkoord" (BE) vs "overeenkomst" (NL); "huurovereenkomst" is universal; Belgian drafting often mirrors French structure. If translating Belgian Dutch documents, flag for user and cross-check against Belgian Civil Code references rather than BW.
- **Articulation of articles**: Dutch drafting: artikel → lid → sub (a, b, c). Translate as: Clause → paragraph → sub-paragraph (in contracts) or Article → paragraph → sub-paragraph (in legislation).
- **"bij deze" / "hierbij"**: Both mean "hereby"; "bij deze" has a more formal/archaic register and appears in notarial deeds.
- **"voor zover vereist" / "voor zoveel nodig"**: Common Dutch boilerplate; translate as "to the extent necessary" or "to the extent required" — not "insofar as needed" (too literal).
- **"zonder voorafgaande ingebrekestelling"**: "Without prior notice of default" — a specific legal concept, not generic notice. Preserve in translation; the ingebrekestelling requirement in Dutch law is often waived by contract and the clause should reflect that.
- **Lower-case conventions**: Dutch drafting keeps most nouns lowercase (unlike German). Defined terms follow English convention (Capitalised) in Dutch-law English-language contracts.
- **Dates**: Dutch format is DD-MM-YYYY or "15 april 2026". Convert to English convention (15 April 2026 or April 15, 2026) per project style.
