The minister of Justice has informed the Dutch Senate and House of Representatives about the intention not to extend the emergency law by February 1st 2023.

Since two years we have been able to use temporary measures related to the emergency law COVID-19.

In times of increasing corona infections and situations in which clients could not visit the civil-law notary, this temporary law provides the possibility to execute a will or mortgage deed (or power of attorney) virtually.

Provisions for legal persons
For legal persons the law provides measures for meetings and financial reports. In earlier blogs we regularly informed you about the possibilities for a virtual shareholders’ meeting. The past years the law has been tacitly extended by periods of two months.

Emergency law not extended
The minister of Justice has informed the Dutch Senate and House of Representatives about the intention not to extend the emergency law by February 1st 2023.

The possibilities for a virtual shareholders’ meeting will therefore cease to exist. According to the minister the present circumstances give no longer reason to extend the emergency law, even with increasing corona infections. The Minister makes a caveat that in case of significant change of circumstances, it can yet be decided to extend the law.

With this announcement, the Minister meets prior commitment to communicate in time, at least two months in advance, about ending provisions, so that interested parties are able to prepare themselves.