In a significant development for fishing communities affected by PFAS pollution in the Netherlands, the District Court of Zeeland-West-Brabant (Middelburg) has issued an interim judgment rejecting 3M’s challenge to the Dutch court’s jurisdiction and allowing the claims of Dutch fishermen to move forward. The case is being handled by Milberg Amsterdam and Napoli Shkolnik.
The ruling marks an important milestone in ongoing efforts to hold 3M Belgium and 3M Company accountable for decades of PFAS discharges from the company’s Zwijndrecht plant, which scientific studies have linked to severe contamination of local waterways. The judgment echoes themes seen in parallel global PFAS actions, including Napoli Shkolnik’s work supporting Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman in cross-border PFAS litigation in Europe and the United States.
3M argued that the Dutch court lacked jurisdiction because, in its view, any harm suffered by Dutch fishermen was merely “indirect, pure financial loss.” The court flatly rejected that position. In a detailed analysis, the judge concluded that:
- PFAS released in Belgium migrated downstream into Dutch waters.
- Fishermen suffered direct economic harm and immaterial damage because high PFAS concentrations made it unsafe or unlawful to harvest shrimp and shellfish in large parts of the Western Scheldt.
- The “place where the harmful event occurred” includes the Netherlands, creating a clear basis for jurisdiction.
The court also determined that 3M Company must remain a defendant. With 3M’s jurisdictional objections dismissed, the litigation now advances to a full review of 3M’s responsibility for the contamination that has upended the livelihoods of Dutch fishing families. The court referred the main case to a full bench in recognition of its “complexity and social importance.” 3M Belgium and 3M Company must file their substantive defenses by December 24, 2025.
While, this procedural win does not resolve the case, it clears the single largest obstacle to holding 3M accountable in a Dutch forum closely connected to the communities harmed. The ruling underscores what regulators, researchers, and fishermen have long asserted: PFAS pollution in the Western Scheldt has real-world, cross-border consequences for those who depend on the river to earn a living.
As the case proceeds, Napoli Shkolnik and its European partners remain committed to securing justice for affected fishing families and ensuring multinational corporations are held responsible for the environmental and economic damage caused by PFAS contamination.