Dutch government to face stricter anti-discrimination rules under Equal Treatment Act
From 2026, Dutch citizens can challenge government actions like tax collection or permit decisions under the Equal Treatment Act. This change aims to strengthen protection against discrimination and improve trust in public institutions, addressing concerns like ethnic profiling and algorithm bias.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Law | General Equal Treatment Act |
| Proposed Change | Extend law to cover unilateral government actions |
| Minister Responsible | Minister Heerma (Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations) |
| Support Bodies | Dutch Institute for Human Rights, local anti-discrimination agencies |
| Current Exclusions | Tax collection, subsidies, permits, street checks |
| Timeline | Draft bill expected after summer 2026 |
| Advisory Input | State Commission against Discrimination and Racism, NCDR |
The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations oversees policies ensuring equal treatment and non-discrimination in the Netherlands. This amendment reflects the government’s role in addressing systemic biases and improving accountability in public administration.
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external link to whydonate.comRead the full translated article below
Cabinet: Equal Treatment Act also applies to government
The General Equal Treatment Act, the law that protects citizens' right to equal treatment by businesses or organizations, must also apply to the government. The Council of Ministers has agreed to this on a proposal from Minister Heerma of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. An amendment to the law will ensure that citizens can seek assistance from the Dutch Institute for Human Rights or an anti-discrimination body when they have complaints about government actions. This will provide better protection for citizens against so-called unilateral government actions.
The General Equal Treatment Act, for example, sets requirements for job vacancies, recruitment and selection procedures, and the provision of services by educational institutions, hospitals, and insurers. In this way, the law protects citizens in areas where the government's influence is limited. Typical government actions such as tax collection, granting subsidies or permits, and street checks currently fall outside the scope of this law. The cabinet wants to align these areas so that citizens can better challenge institutional discrimination by the government. This implements advice from the State Commission against Discrimination and Racism, the Dutch Institute for Human Rights, and the NCDR. It also aligns with developments such as digitalization, the use of algorithms, and concerns about ethnic profiling and institutional racism, which increase the need for protection against discrimination by the government.
Minister Heerma: “Trust in the government is of great importance and at the same time not self-evident for everyone. It is important that the government also continues to examine its own actions. That is why the cabinet says: equal monks, equal caps; so-called unilateral government actions must also fall under the General Equal Treatment Act, so that citizens can have their complaints about unequal treatment by the government more broadly assessed.”
Currently, citizens can already take their complaints about the government to the National Ombudsman or the courts. Given the growing number of concerns and increasingly complex regulations, the cabinet believes it is important that citizens can also seek help more easily through other channels. That is why citizens must also be able to request rulings from the Dutch Institute for Human Rights on all forms of unilateral government actions and receive support from (local) anti-discrimination bodies. Both institutions can assist citizens free of charge and have more specialized knowledge of discrimination and equal treatment issues. Citizens who experience discrimination by the government can still turn to the Ombudsman.
Next steps
A legislative process will be initiated to expand the General Equal Treatment Act. During this process, close contact will be maintained with organizations in the field. The aim is to have a draft bill ready for internet consultation and consultation with advisory bodies after the summer of 2026.