More than a third of self-employed people in the Netherlands, 36%, are concerned about upcoming enforcement of the “Deregulation Assessment of Employment Relationships Act” by Dutch tax authorities. The research comes from a survey conducted by Knapp, a bank that offers products and services for ZZP’ers, the Dutch term for independent contractors. The act is aimed at curtailing false self-employment. Full enforcement is set to resume 1 January 2025, according to SIA research.

Knabb’s survey also found 13% of self-employed people expect to be classified as bogus self-employed. The highest percentage is in the government sector, 28%. It was followed by IT at 21% and media and communications at 21%.

A quarter of self-employed people over 50 are considering early retirement if the law forces them to stop doing business, according to the survey.

In addition, out of all the self-employed, only 29% of the self-employed said they would want to be an employee.

Still, 49% of the self-employed are positive about the future of self employment in the Netherlands. However, Knab CEO Nadine Klokke said that could change quickly.

“The sentiment among the self-employed could deteriorate if the government continues to combat bogus self-employment with unclear and ever-changing regulations,” Klokke said in a press release.

“A stable government policy and clear laws and regulations are crucial for the success of the self-employed,” she said. “The government must create an environment in which conscious, non-vulnerable self-employed people can flourish without unnecessary restrictions.”

Klokke noted the Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment has an opportunity in this respect, as the successor to this DBA Act is currently being prepared and is expected to come into effect from 2026.

Knab’s survey included 3,000 self-employed people.

A recent article in Staffing Industry Review magazine discusses the DBA in The Netherlands.