Enforcement

Your obligation, our obligation

CBS provides insight into social and economic issues using statistical information. To obtain this information, we collect as much of the requisite data as possible from other bodies, both government and otherwise, such as the Tax and Customs Administration and the Chamber of Commerce. If these bodies do not have the requisite data, CBS is authorised to legally oblige companies to supply their data. This obligation has been laid down in the Statistics Netherlands Act. If you do not provide the requested data within a certain period of time, you will be subject to enforcement, which may cost you money.

More information about the enforcement process can be found in the leaflet: Enforcement Process  (Dutch only).

What your data are used for

Your company data are needed to analyse economic growth, price movements, investments and employment in the Netherlands, for example. This information is important for the government to formulate policy, but it can also be of interest to your company. For example, it can provide useful insights into your sector or region. The results of our studies are freely available to anyone via our website.

Adjustment of the notification and enforcement process

We require information from all companies that receive notification to that effect. Most companies supply the requested data to CBS in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, not all companies comply with this obligation. As it is important that all companies that we write to actually submit the requested data, we have adjusted our notification and enforcement process. This will allow CBS to send a reminder and warning more quickly when requested data is not submitted in time. Furthermore, CBS will now be able to proceed with enforcement measures faster when companies fail to provide requested data. The adjustments will be introduced gradually and per survey.

Are you late in submitting your data? Or have you received a warning letter?

Submit the requested data as quickly as possible to CBS and call the telephone number provided in the letter.

Laws and regulations

Please click the link for an overview of the corresponding laws (Dutch only): Laws & regulations.

What failure to submit data will cost you

The level of the order subject to a penalty for noncompliance and administrative fine is determined on the basis of the CBS Enforcement fee table (Dutch only). This shows that the level of the penalty depends on the size of the company, the severity of the breach, as well as the period to which the data relate. Payment of the penalty or fine does not release you from the obligation to submit the data.

Overview table of penalties; penalty amounts

Jurisprudence; court cases related to delayed submission of data.

Go to the overview of jurisprudence (Dutch only).

Objecting to an enforcement decision

Go to: Lodging objections.

Links

For all Dutch laws and regulations, go to: Dutch government laws (Dutch only). For all European laws and regulations, go to: European Union legislation.