Clifford Chance

Focus on Hydrogen: Regulatory developments in the Netherlands

11 April 2023

Three years after the Cabinet presented its Cabinet Vision on Hydrogen (Kabinetsvisie waterstof), the Dutch Government has taken significant steps in developing a regulatory framework to support the global hydrogen market.

In light of the recent announcement by the Dutch Government to double its ambitions for the scale-up of installed hydrogen capacity to 8 GW by 2032, and as the global hydrogen market continues to develop and mature, the question of market regulation of hydrogen in the Netherlands has become even more pressing. Similarly, outstanding questions need to be answered by the Dutch Government and, more broadly, the European Commission in the near future as to which parties will be permitted to participate in the field of electrolysis, transportation and storage of hydrogen (in addition to the construction and operation of import/export terminals), under what conditions, and how to ensure fair and open third-party access.

In this briefing, we give an overview of some of the developments in the Dutch regulatory framework for hydrogen since the publication of the Cabinet Vision on Hydrogen. These developments will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the Dutch hydrogen market, and understanding their impact is essential for sector stakeholders.

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