This is how the Dutch DPA monitors the use of cookies
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) has been monitoring the use of cookies more strictly since 2024. We check more often if websites ask correctly for consent for cookies and other tracking software.
On this page
Quality of cookie banners
We also pay extra attention to the quality of cookie banners. With these banners, owners of websites and apps have to ask you for consent for placing cookies. To support this process, we have renewed our ways of enforcement. For example, we have made a tool that checks quickly if cookie banners meet the requirements. Do organisations fail to adhere to the rules? Then this tool allows us to start an investigation more quickly and possibly intervene. For example, by imposing a fine.
The first cookie fine was for the company behind Kruidvat chemists. Kruidvat.nl placed tracking cookies on the devices of visitors without valid consent.
Read more about this in: Fine of 600,000 euro for tracking cookies on Kruidvat.nl
Knowledge sharing
To improve the supervision of cookies, the Dutch DPA increasingly cooperates at an international level. For example, we share and develop knowledge about the supervision of cookies with other European data protection authorities.
We have also improved our explanation of the rules for cookies. We use this to inform large organisations and sector organisations that use cookies.
For organisations
To help organisations get started, we share some rules of thumb for making clear cookie banners. We use examples to show how it should and should not be done. See the page Clear and misleading cookie banners for more information. Also see the page Cookies and your organisation: make sure to have a good policy in place.
Where can I turn to if I have questions or complaints about cookies?
Do you have questions about cookies on a specific website or app? Contact the owner of the website or app first. Are the cookies placed by a third party? Then you can also contact this organisation. The owner of the website and the third party are obliged to give you information.
Do you have a complaint about cookies and how your personal data are processed? And does the website owner not respond? Or are you not satisfied with the response? Then you can submit a complaint to the Dutch DPA. Completing the form takes about 15 minutes. If you have submitted a complaint, you will always hear from us within three months.
Your complaint is always valuable. Every complaint is an important signal for us. Complaints give us a good picture of the privacy problems that people experience.