Product compliance lawyer in the Netherlands

Martin Krüger is a managing partner of MAAK Advocaten N.V. in Amsterdam and the firm's lead specialist in EU product compliance. He has more than fifteen years of experience advising manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers on EU product safety legislation, CE marking, chemical regulations, product recalls and product liability. He works in German, English and Dutch.

Martin advises clients across the full product lifecycle: from design and development through conformity assessment and market introduction to post-market surveillance, enforcement actions and end-of-life obligations. His practice sits at the intersection of regulatory law and commercial practice, and his clients value the combination of technical understanding and legal rigour that this intersection requires.

At MAAK Advocaten, Martin leads the product compliance and regulatory litigation practice. He represents companies in enforcement actions by Dutch and European market surveillance authorities, handles product liability claims, coordinates recalls and corrective actions, and advises on the contractual allocation of compliance obligations across the supply chain. He also regularly provides lectures at national congresses and workshops for businesses and insurers on product compliance topics.

Education and bar admission

Martin has a German background and English-language schooling, which enables him to work seamlessly across the three languages of the firm's international practice. He is a registered Dutch advocate (advocaat) and a member of the Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten (Dutch Bar Association).

His Dutch Bar registration covers two practice areas:

Burgerlijk recht (algemene praktijk) / Civil law, general practice
Burgerlijk procesrecht / Civil procedural law, litigation

Martin complies with the mandatory continuing professional education (PO-punten) requirements, earning at least ten credits per registered practice area annually. His public entry in the Dutch Bar's lawyer directory is available at zoekeenadvocaat.advocatenorde.nl.

EU product compliance practice

Martin's product compliance practice covers the full scope of EU product regulation for the manufacturing supply chain. He advises on the regulatory obligations that apply when products are placed on the European market, and he represents clients when those obligations are enforced by national and European authorities.

His day-to-day work includes:

CE marking, conformity assessment and technical documentation across all harmonised product sectors
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and its implications for consumer product manufacturers and online marketplaces
The Machinery Regulation, the Low Voltage Directive, the EMC Directive, the Radio Equipment Directive and other sector-specific frameworks
Chemical regulations: REACH, RoHS, WEEE and PFAS restrictions
The Battery Regulation, packaging regulations and extended producer responsibility (EPR)
Ecodesign and sustainability requirements, digital product passports and green claims compliance
The Cyber Resilience Act, the AI Act and other digital product frameworks
Medical Devices Regulation, Construction Products Regulation and Toy Safety Directive
Allocation of compliance obligations between economic operators (manufacturer, authorised representative, importer, distributor, fulfilment service provider) under Regulation (EU) 2019/1020
International market access: CE marking (EU), UKCA (UK), FDA registration (US) and equivalent certification for other markets

For a full description of the practice, see the product compliance law firm page and the EU product compliance glossary.

Regulatory litigation and enforcement

When a market surveillance authority takes enforcement action, Martin represents the client directly. His regulatory litigation work covers the full range of enforcement scenarios: NVWA inspections, RDI proceedings, ILT actions, customs holds, product recalls and Safety Gate/RAPEX notifications.

Martin handles:

Response to enforcement actions and information requests by the NVWA (product safety), the RDI (electronics, radio equipment, cybersecurity), the ILT (transport, hazardous substances), the NLA (workplace safety, machines, PPE) and Dutch Customs
Administrative objection (bezwaar) and appeal (beroep) against enforcement decisions, including sales prohibitions, forced recalls and administrative fines
Product recall coordination: voluntary and mandatory recalls, risk assessment, corrective action plans and communication with authorities and downstream operators
Product liability defence: claims by consumers, business customers and other supply chain parties under the Product Liability Directive and Dutch tort law
Strategic use of market surveillance authorities against non-compliant competitors: filing complaints, building enforcement dossiers and monitoring follow-up

Sectors

Martin advises clients across a broad range of product sectors, including:

Consumer products (toys, textiles, household goods)
Electronics and electrical equipment (EMC, LVD, RED)
Machinery, lifts, PPE and ATEX equipment
Medical devices and life sciences
Chemicals and chemical products (REACH, RoHS, CLP)
Batteries, solar energy products and charging infrastructure
Construction products
Cosmetics
Automotive and mobility
Software, AI and robotics
Packaging and labelling

Publications and lectures

Martin regularly provides lectures at national congresses and workshops for businesses and insurers on EU product compliance, product safety, recalls and product liability. Additional information about his practice and publications is available on maak-law.com and maakadvocaten.nl.

Professional profiles and independent listings:

Languages and working style

Martin works in German, English and Dutch. His German background and English-language schooling give him native-level fluency in both, which is particularly valuable for German and Austrian manufacturers selling into the EU through the Netherlands, and for international clients who need product compliance advice delivered in their working language.

Clients reach Martin directly, without intermediating layers. Fees are agreed in advance on a fixed-fee, hourly or hybrid basis as described on the lawyer fees page.

Contact Martin Krüger

For a first conversation about a product compliance matter, a regulatory enforcement action, a product recall or a product liability claim, call +31 (0) 20 210 31 38, email mail@maakadvocaten.nl, or visit the contact page. An initial conversation is at no charge. MAAK Advocaten is based at Kraanspoor 34, 1033 SE Amsterdam.