The Dutch Council of Ministers has, upon the initiative of Minister Brinkhorst (Economic Affairs, also in charge of telecommunications), agreed to amend the Competition Act in order to prevent public authorities and the public sector from competing with the commercial sector on an unfair basis.

The amendment aims at increasing transparency and to improve the awareness of the public sector to the financial risks that entrepreneurs take. The public sector will be obliged to publicise the initiation of a new commercial activity and will have to make public whether they are using public monies for these purposes.

T-REGS Note: This development is highly relevant in the context of the tangible projects and advanced plans of numerous cities and other public entities for the development of municipal broadband networks (FttH, WiFi, etc.) 

The proposal will now be sent to the Council of State for advice. The exact text of the proposal and the advice of the Council of State will be made public only when the text is submitted to the Second Chamber (Lower House of Parliament).