Commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation, including enforcement of foreign judgments.
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International law firm with strong Netherlands practice in corporate and commercial law.
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Arbitration is often faster, private, and internationally enforceable under the New York Convention. Your lawyer can advise which route is better for your dispute.
EU judgments are generally enforceable across member states. Non-EU judgments require a separate recognition process. A litigation lawyer can advise.
Browse our verified directory of law firms across Netherlands's major cities. All listed firms offer English-language legal services to expats and foreign nationals.
Find My Lawyer in 60 SecondsDutch civil procedure is governed by the Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering (Rv). The court system: Kantonrechter (district court judge, up to EUR 25,000 or employment/tenancy matters regardless of amount), Rechtbank (sector civiel) (above EUR 25,000), Gerechtshof (appeal), Hoge Raad (supreme court, law-only review). The Netherlands Commercial Court (NCC) in Amsterdam offers proceedings in English from first instance (launched 2019). The Nederlands Arbitrage Instituut (NAI) is the primary Dutch arbitration institution.
| Claim Value | Natural Person | Legal Entity (rechtspersoon) | Kantonrechter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to EUR 500 | EUR 85 | EUR 85 | EUR 85 (all kantonzaken) |
| EUR 501 - EUR 12,500 | EUR 85 | EUR 385 | EUR 85 / EUR 385 |
| EUR 12,501 - EUR 25,000 | EUR 385 | EUR 677 | N/A (above kantonrechter limit: goes to rechtbank) |
| EUR 25,001 - EUR 100,000 | EUR 677 | EUR 2,013 | N/A |
| EUR 100,001 - EUR 1,000,000 | EUR 1,674 | EUR 4,030 | N/A |
| Above EUR 1,000,000 | EUR 2,013 | EUR 4,030 | N/A |
The kort geding (preliminary injunction proceedings) is one of the most used Dutch procedural tools. Claimants can obtain urgent interim relief within 1-3 weeks (fast track: sometimes 24-48 hours in extreme urgency). Requirements: spoedeisend belang (urgent interest); provisional claim. No full trial; judge issues a voorlopige voorziening (provisional measure). Court fee: same as principal proceedings. Kort geding is used extensively for: IP injunctions, interim payments, urgent employment disputes, eviction, and competition law breaches.
The Nederlands Arbitrage Instituut (NAI) (Rotterdam) administers arbitration under its 2015 Rules. Registration fee: EUR 1,750 (up to EUR 100,000 claim); scaled for higher amounts. Arbitrator fees per NAI schedule: approximately 1.5-3% of claim value. NAI arbitrations are governed by the Dutch Arbitration Act (Rv Arts. 1020-1077, updated 2015 to align with UNCITRAL Model Law). Emergency arbitrator: 48-hour appointment (NAI Rules Art. 42). Awards are recognized in New York Convention states. The Netherlands Commercial Court (NCC) also administers international commercial proceedings in English as a state court alternative to arbitration.
A Dutch logistics company sued a Belgian shipping firm for EUR 340,000 in unpaid freight charges plus EUR 75,000 in demurrage. Filed at the Rechtbank Rotterdam (sector handel). Griffierecht: EUR 4,030 (company above EUR 100,000). The Belgian defendant raised a jurisdiction challenge (Rv Art. 11; Brussels Ibis Regulation — Dutch courts competent as place of performance was Rotterdam port). Challenge dismissed in 6 weeks. The case involved CMR Convention (Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road) applicability for the cross-border transport leg. The Rechtbank appointed no expert; both parties submitted e-CMR documentation. After 3 hearing sessions over 10 months, the court awarded EUR 310,000 in freight + EUR 42,000 in demurrage (reduced for shipper's contributory fault), with interest at the wettelijke handelsrente (statutory commercial interest, currently approximately 12%/year). Total costs for the claimant: EUR 4,030 (griffierecht) + EUR 28,000 (advocaat fees) + EUR 2,100 (deurwaarder/enforcement) = EUR 34,130 to recover EUR 352,000 principal and interest.
