The Netherlands places significant emphasis on plain language across various sectors. The largest initiative is called "Direct Duidelijk," which targets all government organizations. This campaign includes a website, training sessions, workshops, webinars, and more. Many government bodies have established Direct Duidelijk departments to ensure clear communication.
Numerous companies specialize in making communication more accessible for everyone. The Dutch Language Union (Taalunie) collaborates with Flanders (Belgium) to strengthen ties in this area, as both regions share the same language. While the law doesn't require to use plain language, there is considerable pressure from entities like the National Ombudsman. Various advocacy groups, especially those representing people with low literacy skills, actively promote clear communication.
Several official resources are available in plain language: Gebruiker Centraal, Taalunie on Understandable Government Language, and Taalunie on Understandable Legal Language.
The Netherlands doesn't have any plain language laws. The ISO Plain Language Standard hasn't been translated into Dutch or adopted in the Netherlands.
Russia
Russia promotes clear communication in digital services and UX writing, with initiatives like Gosuslugi and Fincult, and work underway since 2022 toward a national plain language standard.
Norway
Norway’s plain language movement advanced from early initiatives to a 2022 language law, supported by long-term government programs, and the ISO standard adopted in 2023.
