Administrative law lays down rules for the relationship between the government and citizens, governing dozens of decisions that authorities take every day. This is a broad branch of law, often involving various public authorities (i.e. municipal, provincial, national). These authorities are involved in zoning plans and issuing permits, for instance, and also, frequently, in enforcement measures against violations – not only keeping public order but also upholding spatial administrative law. Enforcement can take the form of imposing an administrative order or an order subject to a penalty for non-compliance, for instance by shutting down institutions that act in contravention of environmental law or forcing cannabis cafés to close for violation of drug regulations. Furthermore the government is active in providing subsidies, public access to government information, social health and care (under the Social Support Act [Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning], with a current issue being decentralisation) and social security (e.g. benefits).

Administrative law is therefore a field with a very broad span. It intersects with spatial planning, subsidy regulations and public service law, plus insight into administrative law is crucial in other areas as well, such as government liability law.

Knowledge and experience across this broad domain is essential when advising public authorities, precisely due to the complexity and sensitivity of the issues concerned. Our firm has that knowledge and experience in abundance.