Flemish Region (heerlijk heldere taal)
Plain language in the Flemish region has been booming since 2017. Around that time, the Flemish government started a campaign called Heerlijk Helder (“delightfully clear”). It raises awareness about the benefits of plain language and offers support through style guides and conferences.
In December 2018, the Flemish Governance Decree was adopted, stipulating, among other things, that bodies of the Flemish government should use plain language in their communication. Although the campaign is mainly aimed at civil servants who work for the Flemish government, many other sectors in the region have adopted the principles of Heerlijk Helder.
When the ISO standard was published, NBN, the national body for standardization, adopted the standard in English and French. There is no translation or adaptation available in Dutch so far.
Sweden
In Sweden, plain language in the public sector has a history of more than 50 years. Already in 1713, the king Charles XII ordered official documents be written in “clear Swedish.”
South Africa
South Africa adopted multilingual policy after 1994, embedding plain language in law, consumer protection, and public communication, with ISO adoption in 2024.
