In addition, parties are in principle (see article 3:40 of the Dutch Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek (BW)) free to determine the content of their agreement.
For example, a tangible or intangible duty of care can be established, a power of attorney can be granted in case a party can no longer act on his own behalf, and an arrangement can be made for the event that one party obtains a good that, in whole or in part, is financed with assets of the other.
The first friendship contract was concluded in the Netherlands between best friends Joost Janmaat and Christiaan Fruneaux (who do not have a love affair together).
[2] This movement stems from the desire to introduce the institute of friendship into Dutch law.
Janmaat and Fruneaux believe that friendship is playing an – increasingly – important role in society, which should also be legally recognized in certain areas of law.