On 7 October, the Dutch Senate approved the Accountancy Sector Amendment Act, completing a process that began in 2021 and led to the bill being introduced by the then Minister of Finance, Kaag, at the end of 2023. The Act is intended to further improve the quality of statutory audits by accountants.
The House of Representatives had already approved the bill on 23 September 2025. Only the Forum for Democracy (FvD) voted against; all other groups voted in favour, including VVD, D66, GroenLinks-PvdA, NSC, PVV, BBB and CDA. The Senate treated the proposal as a formality, meaning that no substantive objections remained.
Background: recommendations of the CTA
The Act stems from recommendations made by the Committee on the Future of the Accountancy Sector (CTA), which was established in 2018 in response to concerns about the quality of audits. In its final report, the committee recommended, among other things, measures to improve quality sustainably. Some of those recommendations required a legal basis, which this amendment act now provides.
Key changes
The Act amends three existing laws:
- the Accountancy Profession Act (Wab)
- the Audit Firms Supervision Act (Wta)
- the Accountants Disciplinary Proceedings Act (Wtra)
Important changes include:
- A legal basis for reporting based on audit quality indicators (AQIs), quality indicators that provide insight into the factors that contribute to good audits.
- A requirement for large audit firms to establish an internal supervisory body (RvC) with authority over, among other things, investments and profit distribution.
- A designation power for the NBA, enabling it to designate a PIE audit firm when a listed company cannot find an auditor, although this power has been temporarily shelved by the Ministry of Finance.
- Stronger AFM supervision of non-PIE audit firms and a lower reporting threshold for audit firms in the event of shortcomings in statutory audits.
- Further measures, such as modernising the governance of the NBA, simplifying disciplinary proceedings and adjusting the rules for foreign accountants.
Entry into force
The Act was passed on 7 October as the first formal item on the Senate's agenda, with FvD's objection noted. It is not yet certain exactly when the provisions will enter into force. The expectation is that the Act will partly come into force on 1 January 2026, although implementing some parts may take more time.
