EU / Netherlands
EU & Netherlands DSA copyright notice
In the EU, including the Netherlands, hosts must act on notices under Article 16 of the Digital Services Act. This tool builds one in English or Dutch.
Your notice
Everything you type stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to us unless you use the takedown request form.
What Article 16 requires
Since February 17, 2024, every hosting service in the EU must offer an easy way to report illegal content, including copyright infringement. A notice must contain:
- a sufficiently substantiated explanation of why the content is illegal,
- the exact electronic location, such as the URL,
- the name and email address of the person or company submitting it, and
- a statement confirming a bona fide belief that the information is accurate and complete.
A notice with all four elements gives the host actual knowledge, so it can lose its liability protection if it doesn’t act. The host must confirm receipt and tell you its decision.
Notes for the Netherlands
- Dutch copyright law is the Auteurswet. Most works are protected for the author’s life plus 70 years.
- Many Dutch hosts follow the voluntary Notice-and-Takedown Code of Conduct and handle notices through an abuse or complaints desk.
- Large platforms used in the Netherlands (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok) have dedicated DSA and copyright forms; use those where available.
Common questions
Does the DMCA apply in the Netherlands?
No. In the Netherlands and the rest of the EU, the Digital Services Act and national copyright law apply. U.S. platforms used in the EU still accept DMCA notices.
Do I need to write the notice in Dutch?
Not usually. Most Dutch and EU hosts accept English. The Dutch version can help with smaller local providers.
What must a DSA notice contain?
An explanation of why the content is illegal, the exact URL, your name and email, and a good-faith statement that the notice is accurate and complete.
What if the host doesn’t act?
You can use the host’s internal complaint system, an out-of-court dispute settlement body certified under the DSA, or go to court. Search delisting can also remove the pages from Google.
Keep going
Services
- DMCA takedown serviceComplete § 512(c)(3) notices, host escalation and a report of every URL.
- Google search removalDelist infringing pages from Google and Bing when sites ignore notices.
By country
- Netherlands takedownsDSA notices and Dutch hosts: removing infringing content in the Netherlands.
Free tools
- Website host finderFind a site’s host, registrar and abuse email.
- Removal checkerCheck which takedown links are down.
- Fair use checkerFair use and fair dealing, by country.
Guides
- What is the DMCA? Complete guideNotices, counter-notices, safe harbor and what changed in 2026.