The Dutch patent has a term of 20 years and has effect in the (European and Caribbean) Netherlands, Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
Supplementary protection certificates are also regulated by the Rijksoctrooiwet, and do only apply to the European Netherlands.
The court of The Hague is exclusively competent to decide issues regarding patents in the Netherlands, including validity, infringement and ownership.
[citation needed] Until around 2008, Dutch courts would render decisions regarding European patents that covered not only the Netherlands, but also other European Union member states, and other Lugano convention member states under the Spider in the web doctrine.
This possibility was limited by European Court of Justice decision in Roche and others (C-539/03, ECLI:EU:C:2006:458).