Nature Conservation Act and the Flora & Fauna Act

In general, Dutch legislation applies to Dutch territory and Dutch territorial waters (to 12 nautical miles offshore). If the Netherlands wishes to designate protected conservation sites outside its territorial sea, the Nature Conservation Act and the Flora and Fauna Act must apply to the Dutch Exclusive Economic Zone. The Dutch EEZ is the Dutch area outside Dutch territorial waters. For this reason, the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has decided to amend the Nature Conservation Act so that it applies to the whole of the Dutch North Sea.

At the end of 2009, a proposed amendment to the Nature Conservation Act and the Flora and Fauna Act was submitted to the Lower House. You will find the relevant parliamentary document here (pdf: 16 pages).