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The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is an independent regulator that champions the rights of consumers and businesses. ACM is charged with competition oversight, sector-specific regulation of several sectors, and enforcement of consumer protection laws. The ultimate goal is to create a level playing field , where all businesses play by the rules, and where well-informed consumers exercise their rights.

Consumer advice

Consumers may contact ACM for free information and advice. For example, you may run into problems with a company. You can report your problems to consumer information portal ConsuWijzer. ConsuWijzer will advise you on how you can solve those problems. Based on that advice, you will know what your rights are, and how you can exercise them. If it turns out that, based on your complaint, the company in question has violated the law, we can step in and take action.

Submit tip-offs

Businesses may turn to ACM if they have indications that other businesses fail to play by the rules, for example, because they have concluded price-fixing agreements.

Notifying ACM of a planned merger or acquisition

If businesses or organizations wish to merge, they will have to notify us of their plans. We will then assess what the effects will be on competition and consumers. If we think that the effects will be negative, we are able to attach conditions to that merger or acquisition. Or we can even block it altogether.

Telecommunication, postal services, transport, healthcare and energy

ACM sets additional rules for the telecommunications, postal services, healthcare and energy markets. This is because competition in these sectors does not naturally exist. With these additional rules, we also wish to safeguard the affordability, quality and availability of the products and services in these sectors. Finally, we also regulate health care providers that wish to collaborate.

History of ACM

The Netherlands Consumer Authority, the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) and the Netherlands Independent Post and Telecommunications Authority (OPTA) joined forces on April 1st 2013, creating a new regulator: the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets. The decisions of our predecessors can also be found on our website.

See all of the decisions of ACM’s predecessors (in Dutch)