Algoritmekader and Algoritmeregister (Netherlands)

What it is

The Algoritmekader, or algorithm framework, is the Dutch government’s guidance on the main laws and rules for the responsible use of government algorithms, with tips and tools for applying them. It is published as an open website, maintained in the Ministry of the Interior’s public repository, and version 2.5 was launched on 24 March 2026.

The Algoritmeregister van de Nederlandse overheid is its public counterpart. On it, Dutch government organisations publish information about the algorithms they use and explain how they work. The register focuses on impactful algorithms, including high-risk AI systems, and listed 1,592 algorithms when this page was reviewed.

Who it applies to

Both are written for Dutch public bodies, from ministries and agencies to local government. They do not apply to private companies directly.

They matter beyond government in two ways. Suppliers selling algorithms or AI to Dutch public bodies will meet the framework’s expectations in procurement, and the framework includes model procurement terms among its tools. And because the register is public, anyone can see which algorithms a government organisation has published and how it describes them.

What it covers

Requirements. A catalogue of the legal requirements that apply to government algorithms, including the EU AI Act, the GDPR and Dutch law, with an AI Act section that includes a timeline and a summary.

Recommended measures. For each requirement, measures a public body can take to meet it.

A lifecycle. Measures are organised by phase.

• Phase 0, organisational responsibilities, before any algorithm is used or developed.
• Phases 1 and 2, problem analysis and design.
• Phases 3 to 5, data exploration and preparation, development, and verification and validation.
• Phases 6 to 8, implementation, monitoring and management, and decommissioning.

Roles. Guidance is tagged for policy and advice staff, lawyers, developers and project leaders.

Tools. A library of instruments, including the Data Protection Impact Assessment, the Impact Assessment Mensenrechten en Algoritmes (IAMA), the AI Impact Assessment, an impact analysis for the AI Act, the ALTAI checklist, a guide to inventorying, identifying and classifying AI systems, a non-discrimination by design guide, an AI literacy self-assessment, and the Algoritmeregister itself.

Topics. Cross-cutting guidance on discrimination, privacy and personal data, and public procurement.

Key dates

• 24 March 2026. Algoritmekader version 2.5 launched.
• 2 August 2026. EU AI Act general application, including transparency duties for chatbots and generated content.
• 2 December 2027. Annex III high-risk obligations apply. Public bodies deploying high-risk AI must carry out a fundamental rights impact assessment and register their use in the EU database.

How it relates to other frameworks

The Algoritmekader sits on top of binding law. The EU AI Act and the GDPR apply to Dutch public bodies directly, and Article 40 of the Dutch GDPR Implementation Act sets when they may decide automatically without profiling. Who will supervise the AI Act in the Netherlands is set out in the draft implementation bill.

The framework’s lifecycle and measures map closely to international frameworks. Organisations that use ISO/IEC 42001 or the NIST AI RMF will recognise the same steps of inventory, impact assessment, validation, monitoring and decommissioning.

A note on this page

This is Aicura’s summary of the Algoritmekader and the Algoritmeregister. It is not legal advice. Read the framework and the register on their official sites, and take advice on how the law applies to your organisation.