Is euthanasia legal in the Netherlands?
Euthanasia legal
Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are legal in the Netherlands since 2001.
The Netherlands is one of 10 countries classified “Euthanasia legal” for euthanasia — 26% of the 38 with data. (Also searched as assisted dying.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Legality of euthanasia
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.
Nearby countries
- Belgium
- Euthanasia legal Euthanasia has been legal in Belgium since 2002, with cases occurring regularly since then.
- Luxembourg
- Euthanasia legal Euthanasia is legal in Luxembourg following the passage of a bill in 2009.
- Germany
- Assisted dying only Active euthanasia is illegal, but assisted suicide is legal following a 2020 court ruling.
- France
- Passive only Active euthanasia is illegal, but sedation until death is permitted for terminal patients.
- United Kingdom
- Illegal Active euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal, though passive euthanasia is permitted.
- Switzerland
- Assisted dying only Physician-assisted suicide is legal if the motive is not selfish, while active euthanasia is not explicitly legalized.
Other laws in Netherlands
- Abortion
- Legal on request
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned
- Surrogacy
- Altruistic only
- Organ Donor Consent
- Opt-out (presumed consent)
Every law in the Netherlands → · Where is euthanasia legal? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.