Act

An act is a rule of conduct drawn up and written by the government. The act largely consists of rules but also includes jurisprudence and literature. A distinction is made between a “rule in a formal sense” and a “rule in a material sense”.

A rule in a formal sense is a decision made by the formal legislator. In the Netherlands, this is the government and the States-General (First and Second Chamber) jointly.

A material law, on the other hand, is a generally binding regulation. A generally binding regulation is a legal standard that applies to all citizens. Compliance with this can be enforced by law.

Concurrence

A law can be both a law in a formal sense and a law in a material sense, but this is not necessary. Whether a law is a law in the formal sense is determined on the basis of the enactment of the law. Whether a law is a material law is determined on the basis of the content of the law.

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