Tussenkomst

Intervention concerns the accession of a third party to proceedings between other parties, whether on a voluntary basis or upon the application of one of the parties. This is governed by Articles 118–120 of the Dutch Code of Civil Procedure and enables third parties to assert their rights without initiating separate proceedings.

The mechanism is relevant because it promotes procedural efficiency and prevents inconsistent judgments in disputes involving multiple interested parties, such as those concerning property rights or contractual matters. The intervening party acquires the same procedural status as the original parties.

In practice, intervention is frequently invoked before the civil courts where a third party—for example, a mortgagee or a neighbouring landowner—wishes to protect its interests in ongoing proceedings.