Unfamiliar associations with the new liability law: a danger to volunteers

This stems from a study initiated by the IVBB, the Trade Association for Societies and DNA, an organization that helps professionalize associations and related bodies. More than 26,000 members of the board of directors of associations and institutions participated in the study.

All association and foundation boards must comply with the new Law on the Management and Supervision of Legal Entities (WBTR) of July 1 this year. Church councils and owners’ associations (VvEs) are excluded.

The law aims to improve the management and supervision of associations and foundations, among other things. The legal establishment of tasks, powers, obligations and responsibility has become important. Abuse of positions, conflicts of interest, financial fraud, and other unacceptable things can be handled better.

More than before, responsibility is a point of interest. It doesn’t matter whether board members are paid or volunteer. Nor does the law discriminate according to the size or type of the association or institution. Not only national professional organizations, but also all local sports, cultural and hobby associations have to deal with it.

When asked if board members know the WBTR, 60 percent answered that they had not heard of the law. Of the 40 percent who know something about it, most (65 percent) have no idea yet how to implement it. by search

DNA and the IVBB say they are shocked by the results of the investigation. Both authorities indicate that there are 132,000 associations and 143,000 institutions with a board of directors in the Netherlands. 95% of all of those councils are made up entirely of volunteers. “In less than three weeks, drivers will have to know the law to be able to operate with it,” DNA and the IVBB said. It is for this reason that internal procedures must be arranged, discussed and recorded internally. This is necessary to comply with the law. This prevents board members from being exposed to undue risks of personal liability.”