The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) has opened a consultation on a draft “Suitability Policy Rule Wta 2026”, intended to replace its existing suitability policy rule used to assess whether policymakers of audit firms meet the suitability requirement under the Audit Firms Supervision Act (Wta). The current AFM policy rule is tailored to policymakers at public interest entity (OOB) audit firms. AFM is proposing to broaden the rule in anticipation of the legislative proposal to extend Wta suitability assessments to the largest non-OOB audit firms, defined in the proposal as firms with a regular licence that for three consecutive financial years generate at least EUR 3,000,000 in annual statutory audit turnover and conduct at least 150 statutory audits per year. The draft also reflects an evaluation of the existing policy rule and aims to bring the Wta suitability framework more in line with the joint AFM/De Nederlandsche Bank “Suitability Policy Rule 2012” used for a range of financial institutions. Responses to AFM’s consultation questions are due by 15 September 2025. After reviewing feedback, AFM plans to adjust and publish the final policy rule on its website alongside a feedback statement, and aims to publish the definitive rule in the Dutch Government Gazette before the Accountancy Sector Amendment Act enters into force.

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