Experiment timeline

From coalition agreement to experiment

All the arrangements to make the experiment possible.

1. 2017

   1. October 2017Coalition agreement

      The coalition agreement ‘Confidence in the Future’ stated that the government would investigate whether it was possible to legally supply quality-controlled cannabis to coffee shops and how, and what effects this would have. This would be done by means of a controlled cannabis supply chain experiment.

2. 2018

   1. June 2018Advisory committee

      The advisory committee, which studied the question of what a controlled cannabis supply chain experiment should look like, presented its report ‘An experiment with a closed cannabis chain’. You can read a summary in the accompanying press release (in Dutch).

   2. July 2018Government’s response to the recommendations of the advisory committee

      The government adopted the majority of the advisory committee’s recommendations. The full response can be found in the Letter to parliament containing the government response to the advisory committee’s report on the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment (in Dutch). The recommendations and response form the basis for the experiment.

   3. July 2018Government submits bill to House of Representatives

      The government submitted the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment bill to the House of Representatives and debates on the bill began.

   4. November 2018Online consultation regarding decree

      Municipalities, coffee shops and growers had until 24 December to respond to the proposed decree through online consultation. You can read the responses on Overheid.nl: Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment Decree (in Dutch).

3. 2019

   1. January 2019House of Representatives approves the bill

      The House of Representatives passed the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment bill. The bill was then sent to the Senate for debate.

   2. August 2019Second set of recommendations from the advisory committee and nomination of 10 participating municipalities

      In August the advisory committee advised the ministers on which of the municipalities that indicated they were interested should participate in the experiment. The ministers then informed the House of Representatives which 10 municipalities were nominated.

   3. September 2019Online consultation regarding ministerial order

      Growers, coffee shops, relevant supervisory authorities and other interested parties were given an opportunity to respond to the proposed ministerial order through online consultation. The order set out details including requirements for the quality of the cannabis and packaging. You can read the responses on Overheid.nl: Ministerial Order on the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment.

   4. November 2019Bill passed by the Senate

      The Senate approved the bill and the legislation was subsequently published in the Bulletin of Acts and Decrees.

4. 2020

   1. March 2020Recommendations of the Council of State

      The Council of State provided recommendations on the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment bill.

   2. 1 July 2020Appointment of the guidance and evaluation committee

      An independent guidance and evaluation committee was appointed to provide advice during the experiment and the evaluation to follow. The guidance and evaluation committee’s task is to monitor the experiment and the evaluation process, and to report on this to the Minister of Justice and Security and the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport. 

   3. July 2020Start of phase 1: the preparatory phase

      The entry into force of the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment legislation marked the start of the preparatory phase of the experiment. This phase includes the selection and designation of growers. The preparations made by the growers, municipalities, coffee shop owners and supervisory authorities and are also part of this phase, as is the transitional phase. The rules of the experiment explain the various phases in more detail.

   4. July 2020Applying for a grower’s licence

      In July 2020, growers could submit an application to participate in the experiment. All applications were assessed on behalf of the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Minister of Justice and Security, to see whether the applications met all the requirements set out in the legislation.

   5. December 2020Lottery selection for growers

      More applications received positive assessments than there were places for in the experiment. A selection was therefore made by lottery. All applicants that received a positive assessment participated in the lottery selection, which was carried out by a notary. Applicants were informed of the selection results.

5. 2021

   1. May 2021Designation of first growers

      The applicants selected by lottery were not automatically designated as growers in the experiment. They first had to undergo a probity screening, in accordance with the Public Administration (Probity Screening) Act (BIBOB, in Dutch). On the basis of the screening results and a final check of the requirements, it was decided whether to designate the grower to participate in the experiment.

   2. July 2021Online consultations

      Online consultation regarding decree

      Municipalities, coffee shops and growers had until 8 August to respond to the proposed decree through online consultation. 

      Online consultation regarding ministerial order

      Municipalities, coffee shops and growers had until 8 August to respond to the proposed ministerial order through online consultation.

6. 2022

   1. 16 February 2022Publication of the Ministerial Order on the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment in the Government Gazette.

      The Ministerial Order on the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment was published in the Government Gazette (in Dutch). It includes amendments and clarifications of certain requirements for coffee shop owners and designated growers.

   2. 30 March 2022Letter to parliament about the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment

      Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Ernst Kuipers and Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius submitted a letter to parliament informing the House of Representatives about the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment.

      The letter to parliament discussed:

      • the progress of the experiment;
      • the expected start in the second quarter of 2023;
      • how the details of the commitments set out in the 2021-2025 coalition agreement are being worked out.

7. 2023

   1. 15 September 2023Announcement of the launch date of the start-up phase

      Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Ernst Kuipers and Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius informed the House of Representatives about the launch date of the start-up phase in the municipalities of Breda and Tilburg and the expected launch date of the transitional phase in all participating municipalities.

   2. 15 December 2023Launch of the start-up phase in Breda and Tilburg

      It was anticipated that two legal growers would be ready at that time to supply cannabis to coffee shops. During the start-up phase participating coffee shops in Breda and Tilburg can offer both legally grown and tolerated products. The start-up phase is intended to last a maximum of six months, after which the transitional phase will begin.