For the first time since the spam-ban went into force in the Netherlands (19 May 2004) the Dutch regulatory authority OPTA has fined Dutch spammers. One spammer is accused of having sent 4 spam-runs and now faces a fine of 42.500 euro. Two of his spams advertised a CD-ROM with invoice-software, another one was directly aimed at discrediting the most famous spam-fighter in the Netherlands, Rejo Zenger. His organisation Spamvrij maintained an on-line blacklist of notorious Dutch spammers. The spammer tried to make it look as if Rejo Zenger had sent spam advertising the book Mein Kampf.

OPTA has also fined an SMS-spammer with 20.000 euro in total, for sending unsolicited SMS's costing the recipient 1,10 euro per message, without providing any unsubscribe options.

Currently, in the Netherlands only natural persons are protected against unsolicited commercial, idealistic or charitable e-mail messages. The minister of Economical Affairs, Mr Brinkhorst, has finally acknowledged self-regulation is not an option for business recipients. In a letter from 20 December 2004 to the Lower House he promises additional legislation to protect all recipients against spam. Companies that wish to receive unsolicited mail will have to create a special new e-mail address and make it publicly available.

Press release OPTA (in Dutch, 28.12.2004)
http://www.opta.nl/asp/nieuwsenpublicaties/persberichten/document.asp?...