Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets
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The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (Dutch: Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM)) is the competition regulator in the Netherlands. It is a regulatory authority based in The Hague. It is charged with competition oversight, sector-specific regulation of several sectors, and enforcement of consumer protection laws.[1] It enforces Section 24 of the Dutch Competition Act.
The Authority falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and employs around 600 persons, divided over multiple Directions e.g. Direction of Consumers, Competition, Healthcare, Transportation etc.
History
ACM was founded on 1 April 2013 through the merger of the Consumer Authority (Consumentenautoriteit, CA), the Independent Postal and Telecommunications Authority (Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit, OPTA), and the Netherlands Competition Authority (Nederlandse Mededingingsautoriteit, NMa).[2][3]
