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.
Canada
Canada has led plain language efforts since the 1990s, with national organisations, government guidance, and standards aligning with ISO and expanding across sectors.
Brazil – Linguagem Simples
In the 2010s, Brazil’s plain language movement grew slowly, later strengthened by guidelines, training, and a national standard published in 2024 which was widely adopted.
