Best Securities Lawyers in Ommen

About Securities Law in Ommen, Netherlands

Securities law in the Netherlands is national and EU driven, and it applies in Ommen just as it does in Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Ommen is a municipality in Overijssel with an active small and medium enterprise community, family businesses, and cooperatives. Local entrepreneurs and investors typically access capital markets, crowdfunding platforms, and advisory services that are licensed and supervised at the national level. Oversight and enforcement are led by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets, known as AFM, and the Dutch Central Bank, known as DNB, within an EU legal framework. Whether you are investing through a broker or raising money for a business in or around Ommen, the same Dutch and EU rules on offering securities, licensing, disclosure, and market conduct will apply.

Why You May Need a Lawyer

You may benefit from a securities lawyer in several common situations:

- Planning a capital raise for an Ommen business by issuing shares, bonds, or depositary receipts, and deciding whether a prospectus, an information document, or an exemption applies.

- Structuring a private placement to qualified investors, a crowdfunding campaign, or an employee participation plan while staying compliant with advertising and anti-money laundering rules.

- Navigating AFM authorization or registration for an investment firm, asset manager, or crowdfunding service provider, or using EU passporting.

- Preparing or reviewing offering documents, shareholder agreements, or a notarial deed for a BV share issuance, and setting up a STAK for depositary receipts if needed.

- Responding to an AFM inquiry, dawn raid, or enforcement action involving market abuse, suitability and cost transparency, or misleading information.

- Handling disputes with brokers, asset managers, or banks about mis-selling, execution quality, fees, or portfolio losses, including complaints through Kifid or civil courts.

- Managing insider lists, ad hoc disclosures, and managers transactions if you are an issuer with securities admitted to trading.

- Addressing cross-border issues, such as marketing funds into other EU states, recognizing foreign prospectuses, or serving international investors.

Local Laws Overview

Key sources of law and supervision relevant to securities activity in Ommen include:

- Dutch Financial Supervision Act, known as Wft. This sets the core framework for licensing of investment firms, fund managers, crowdfunding service providers, and rules on public offers of securities and market conduct. AFM is the conduct supervisor and DNB is the prudential supervisor.

- EU Prospectus Regulation. A prospectus is required when making a public offer of securities or seeking admission to trading on a regulated market, unless an exemption applies. Common exemptions include offers only to qualified investors, offers to fewer than 150 persons per member state, securities with a minimum denomination of 100,000 euros, or small offers below the EU threshold. The Netherlands also uses a national regime for certain mid-sized domestic offers that can rely on an information document instead of a full prospectus. The exact monetary thresholds and conditions can change, so check current AFM guidance.

- MiFID II and MiFIR. Investment firms must be licensed or passported, meet conduct of business rules, ensure suitability or appropriateness, provide cost and charges disclosures, and manage conflicts of interest.

- Market Abuse Regulation, known as MAR. Prohibits insider dealing and market manipulation, requires prompt disclosure of inside information by issuers, and mandates insider lists and notifications of managers transactions.

- Transparency rules. Major shareholding notifications are required when crossing certain thresholds in Dutch listed companies. In the Netherlands, initial thresholds start at 3 percent and increase through several bands. Short selling and net short position reporting are also regulated.

- Investment fund regimes. AIFMD and UCITS frameworks govern authorization, de minimis registration for small managers, reporting, and marketing. SFDR applies sustainability disclosures to financial market participants. CSRD will add sustainability reporting for larger issuers over time.

- Crowdfunding. EU Regulation on European crowdfunding service providers requires authorization, investor protection tests, key investment information sheets, and platform rules. Dutch platforms operate under AFM supervision.

- Anti-money laundering and sanctions. The Dutch AML Act, known as Wwft, and the Sanctions Act require KYC, monitoring, and screening by financial firms and issuers conducting placements.

- Corporate and notarial rules. Dutch BVs and NVs are the usual issuing vehicles. Issuance and transfer of BV shares generally require a Dutch civil law notary. Many Dutch companies use a STAK to issue depositary receipts for shares. Company filings go through the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.

- Privacy. GDPR applies to investor data, client onboarding, and marketing lists.

- Tax. Dutch individuals are generally taxed on savings and investments in Box 3. Dividends are usually subject to 15 percent Dutch withholding tax, with possible treaty relief. There is no Dutch stamp duty on securities transactions. Always confirm current rates with a tax adviser.

- Venues and rulebooks. Euronext Amsterdam is the main regulated market. Multilateral trading facilities and growth markets apply their own rulebooks in addition to law.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a security in the Netherlands?

Securities broadly include shares, bonds, depositary receipts for shares, warrants, and certain tradable rights. A token or digital asset can also be a security if it confers rights comparable to shares or debt and is tradable. The legal test focuses on the economic rights and tradability, not the technology used.

Do I need AFM approval to offer shares or bonds for my Ommen company?

If you make a public offer, a prospectus approved by AFM is usually required. There are exemptions for private placements and small offers. The Netherlands also allows a national information document regime for certain domestic offers within set monetary limits. Whether you need approval depends on the offer size, the investor type, and any admission to trading. A lawyer can assess the best route for your offer.

What are common exemptions from the prospectus requirement?

Frequent exemptions include offers solely to qualified investors, offers to fewer than 150 persons per EU member state other than qualified investors, securities with a minimum denomination of 100,000 euros, total consideration below the small offer threshold over 12 months, employee share schemes under conditions, and admissions of small share percentages. Each exemption has specific conditions and marketing limits.

How are crowdfunding offers regulated?

Platforms must be authorized as European crowdfunding service providers and are supervised by AFM. They provide standardized key investment information sheets and investor protection tests. Issuers must supply accurate information and comply with advertising and conflict rules. There are investment limits for some non-sophisticated investors.

What investor protection rules apply to my broker or adviser?

Under MiFID II, firms must assess suitability for advice and portfolio management, or appropriateness for execution-only in some cases, disclose all costs and charges, provide best execution, manage conflicts, and handle complaints fairly. Records must be kept and staff must be fit and proper.

What is market abuse and how do I stay compliant?

Market abuse covers insider dealing, unlawful disclosure of inside information, and market manipulation. Issuers must manage inside information, keep insider lists, and disclose inside information promptly unless a delay is justified under MAR. Persons discharging managerial responsibilities must report their transactions. Training, clear procedures, and timely disclosures are essential.

How are securities taxed for individuals in the Netherlands?

Individuals are typically taxed on net assets in Box 3. Dutch dividends are usually subject to 15 percent withholding tax, which may be creditable. Interest may be taxed differently. Tax rules are evolving, so confirm treatment with a tax adviser. Businesses raising capital face separate corporate tax and withholding considerations.

How can I resolve a dispute with my bank or investment firm?

You can file a complaint with the firm first. If unresolved, consumers can go to Kifid, the Dutch Financial Services Complaints Institute. Depending on the firm and the consumer choice, Kifid outcomes can be binding. Court proceedings remain available, and complex corporate or market abuse matters may go directly to civil courts.

Can I tokenize shares or issue digital tokens as securities?

Yes, but if the token represents equity or debt-like rights and is tradable, it is likely a security and the full Wft and EU regime applies. That means prospectus or exemption analysis, transfer restrictions, custody and settlement considerations, and AML compliance. For BV shares, Dutch notarial and shareholder register requirements also apply.

Where will my case be heard if there is a corporate dispute?

Most disputes go to the Dutch civil courts. Corporate governance matters for NVs and some BVs can be brought before the Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. Contractual disputes may be arbitrated under a chosen set of rules. Consumer complaints can go through Kifid.

Additional Resources

- Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets, AFM. Conduct supervisor for securities, prospectuses, market abuse, investment firms, and crowdfunding.

- De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB. Prudential supervisor for banks, insurers, and some investment sector entities.

- European Securities and Markets Authority, ESMA. EU level guidance and technical standards for prospectuses, MAR, MiFID II, and more.

- Euronext Amsterdam. Regulated market with listing and ongoing obligations for issuers.

- Klachteninstituut Financiele Dienstverlening, Kifid. Financial services complaints institute for consumers and small businesses.

- Kamer van Koophandel, Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Company registration, filings, and extracts for BVs and NVs.

- Koninklijke Notariele Beroepsorganisatie, KNB. Professional body for Dutch civil law notaries.

- Belastingdienst, Dutch Tax and Customs Administration. Information on dividend withholding tax and individual taxation of investments.

- Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, RVO. Government service for entrepreneurs and subsidies, relevant to growth financing.

- Municipality of Ommen business desk. Local guidance on permits, locations, and entrepreneurship support that can complement financing plans.

Next Steps

- Define your goal. Are you raising capital, listing, investing, or resolving a dispute. Clarify timelines, target investors, and use of proceeds.

- Map the regulatory route. Assess whether your transaction is a public offer, a private placement, or a crowdfunding campaign, and whether a prospectus, an information document, or an exemption applies.

- Assemble your team. Engage a securities lawyer, a Dutch civil law notary for share issuances in a BV, an accountant, and where needed a licensed investment firm or crowdfunding platform.

- Prepare core documents. Business plan, financials, term sheet, cap table, offering document, risk factors, and marketing materials. Build AML and sanctions procedures if you onboard investors directly.

- Coordinate with supervisors and venues. Determine if AFM approval is needed, what filings are required, and what market or platform rules apply. Confirm language requirements and timelines.

- Protect investors and yourself. Set up proper disclosures, suitability processes if giving advice, data protection under GDPR, and internal controls to prevent market abuse.

- Plan for tax and governance. Address dividend or interest treatment, withholding obligations, shareholder rights, and any need for a STAK or shareholder agreement.

- For disputes. Collect contracts, statements, and correspondence. Use the firm’s complaints process, consider Kifid for consumer matters, and consult a lawyer early to preserve rights and evidence.

- Keep records. Maintain accurate registers, resolutions, and communications. Good recordkeeping reduces enforcement risk and speeds approvals.

- Seek tailored advice. Securities rules are technical and fact specific. A local Dutch securities lawyer with experience in AFM practice can help you navigate requirements efficiently and lawfully.