Request for enforcement
With a request for enforcement, you ask ACM to take action against a violation. Requests for enforcement must meet certain requirements.
On this page:
Requirements for requests for enforcement
Requests for enforcement must comply with certain statutory requirements. We can only handle your request if it meets the following four requirements:
1. Clear description of the violation
Indicate what company has committed a violation in your opinion, as well as what rules have been violated.
2. Interested party
You must be an interested party. This means that you are directly affected by the problem. It is not sufficient if someone else is affected. In addition, your interest must be different from the interests of others: the problem solely affects you. As a consumer, you almost never qualify as an interested party, because other consumers often experience the same problem. In addition, the problem is affecting you right now, so it cannot concern something in the future that is uncertain.
Therefore, you need to explain:
- Why it is that the conduct or situation is currently affecting you
- What your relationship is with the company or individual that is violating the rules
- Why your problem or harm is different from that of others in the same situation
Please include pieces of verifiable evidence in order to substantiate your claims, such as documents or photos.
3. Personal details
Please include your name, address, phone number, and email address (optional). The company which your request is about may obtain this information if we decide to launch an investigation. Requests for enforcement cannot be filed anonymously.
4. Signature
Sign the request by adding your signature and the date.
Filing a report if you do not meet the above requirements
If your request does not meet the abovementioned requirements, or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can file a report regarding your problem instead of filing a request for enforcement. Reports, too, help us decide against which companies we take action.
Submitting your request
If your request for enforcement meets all of the abovementioned requirements, you can send your request to the following email address: acm-post [at] acm [punt] nl (acm-post[at]acm[dot]nl). If you prefer sending it by regular mail, please send it to the following postal address:
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markest (ACM)
P.O. Box 16326
2500 BH The Hague
The Netherlands
What happens to your request for enforcement
When we receive your request for enforcement, the next steps are as follows:
- We aim to send you a confirmation of receipt within a week.
- If we still have any questions, we will contact you.
- We determine whether your request for enforcement meets the requirements.
- If your request for enforcement does not meet the requirements, we will let you know. In that case, we will not take a decision. However, we will register your request for enforcement as a report. Reports, too, help us decide against which companies we take action.
- If your request for enforcement does meet all requirements, you will receive a decision on your request within eight weeks, either by email or letter. If we need more time, we will let you know.
- We explain in the decision what we will do with your request for enforcement. If you disagree with our decision, you can file an objection or an appeal.
Making choices on the basis of the information from reports and requests for enforcement
We receive many reports and requests for information. These are crucial to our oversight. That is because they enable us to see where potential problems may arise. All information can help us stop violations. However, we cannot investigate every company we get a report or request for enforcement about. There are simply too many of them. That is why we must choose which companies we investigate. In that process, we look at, for example, the importance of the problem to society, and where we can have the most impact. Requests for enforcement therefore do not automatically lead to ACM interventions.