Nicolien van den Biggelaar is an experienced litigator and expert in public law, including Dutch and European environmental law, spatial planning, nature conservation, compliance and enforcement, European law and regulatory matters. Legal 500 EMEA consistently recognises her as a leading environmental lawyer and she is ranked first tier in Chambers Europe. In 2018 she was also inducted into the Legal 500 Hall of Fame – Environment and Planning.
Nicolien acts on behalf of both national and international companies and Dutch principals on the regulatory, environmental and spatial planning aspects of infrastructure projects, including energy production facilities, pipelines, electricity transmission systems, wind farms, chemical industry projects and harbour infrastructure.
Nicolien regularly represents clients in negotiations with regulatory authorities and in litigation before administrative and civil courts. She communicates easily with stakeholders and regulatory authorities alike, and actively works with environmental and technical specialists to build strong cases which withstand judicial review proceedings by third parties. Her expertise is regularly sought in M&A transactions and IPOs.
Nicolien is a member of the board of the Dutch Association of Public Law and former Chairman of the Dutch Environmental Lawyers Association (VMA). She is also a speaker and lecturer on various public law, environmental law and sustainability topics.
Nicolien’s recent work includes advising
FrieslandCampina sells cream liqueur business to Wagram Equity Partners
Design and construction of new nuclear research reactor by PALLAS in Petten
De Brauw advises and represents NAM (Shell/Exxon) in events surrounding earthquakes
Preliminary reference to ECJ regarding EU emissions trading scheme
Gilde Buy Out Partners and Parcom Capital to sell Nedschroef to PMC for EUR 325 million
12 November 2020
15 October 2020
17 September 2020
19 May 2020
Council of State rules on norms for low-frequency noise caused by Dutch wind farms
29 March 2020
Declaring a state of emergency in the Netherlands – what additional powers for government?
28 January 2020
16 December 2019
Probity screening (Bibob) Act increasingly applied to environmental permit applications
14 November 2019
Water permit holders liable for unknown and unmeasurable substances in waste water
15 October 2019
New Whistleblower Directive introduces obligations for companies and EU member states
31 January 2019
First big GDPR fine for Google: implications for multinationals
12 July 2018
Dutch Climate Bill and Outline Climate Agreement: it’s not easy being green
12 July 2018
Dutch Council of State clarifies when public authority should caution in fine procedures
17 May 2018
Administrative warnings as part of legal sanctions regimes can now be challenged
15 February 2018
Government may have greater duty to make public documents provided by external parties
18 January 2018
2018 to see further government action on cleaner environment
14 July 2017
More clarity on requirements for collecting evidence in administrative fine proceedings
13 June 2017
Preliminary questions on Dutch Nitrogen Approach Programme: what to do in the meantime
23 May 2017
Prejudiciële vragen en geconstateerde gebreken in Programma Aanpak Stikstof: hoe nu verder?
12 April 2017
Preliminary questions on Dutch Nitrogen Approach Programme: what to do in the meantime
13 February 2017
Progress report shows EU likely to achieve 20% renewables goal in 2020
13 February 2017
8 December 2016
13 July 2016
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – July 2016
13 July 2016
15 June 2016
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – May / June 2016
13 April 2016
Council of State ruling widens legal protection of competitors
13 April 2016
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – February / March 2016
15 February 2016
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – December 2015 / January 2016
15 February 2016
More clarity on intended timeline for Dutch offshore wind farms tender
9 December 2015
Increase of maximum fines under Electricity Act 1998 and Gas Act one step closer
9 December 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – November 2015
11 November 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – October 2015
13 October 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – September 2015
12 October 2015
STROOM moving ahead: bill adopted by Second Chamber of Dutch parliament
9 September 2015
BRZO 2015: division and threshold values of hazardous substances changes
8 July 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – July 2015
10 June 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – June 2015
29 May 2015
More clarity on tender conditions 2015 and risks for offshore wind parks
11 May 2015
New regulation for companies to prevent major accidents as of 1 June 2015
14 April 2015
Bill on offshore wind energy expected to take effect on 1 July 2015
14 April 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – March 2015
11 March 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – February 2015
11 March 2015
Draft Decree electricity and gas (STROOM) now open for consultation
9 February 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – January 2015
14 January 2015
14 January 2015
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – December 2014
8 December 2014
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – November 2014
11 November 2014
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – October 2014
10 July 2014
Energy law in brief – new case law, regulation and articles – June 2014
14 January 2014
13 January 2014
Electronic signatures not valid if procedural documents submitted in hardcopy
13 January 2014
Draft Guidelines allow state aid in the renewable energy sector
20 December 2013
9 December 2013
Nitrogen: obstacle for granting permits for ‘Maasvlakte’ power plants
6 December 2013
22 November 2013
8 November 2013
25 October 2013
11 October 2013
10 October 2013
10 October 2013
10 October 2013
27 September 2013
13 September 2013
30 August 2013
16 August 2013
2 August 2013
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
Claude Debussylaan 80
1082 MD Amsterdam
The Netherlands
P.O. Box 75084
1070 AB Amsterdam
The Netherlands