01
Contract
One Dutch contract
You sign with a local legal entity under Dutch law, invoiced in euros with VAT handled. We contract the specialist behind the scenes.
The Needspan guarantee
Asian expertise. A Dutch contract. No surprises.
Almost nobody offers this: you work with specialist teams across Asia, but you sign with a company in the Netherlands, under Dutch law. These eight commitments are part of every assignment. They are in your contract, not just on this page.
Why it matters
Contracting an Asian supplier directly vs. through Needspan
| Directly with a supplier in Asia | Through Needspan | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you sign with | A company outside the EU | A local legal entity in the Netherlands |
| Applicable law | Often the supplier’s law, or unclear | Dutch law |
| If there is a dispute | Proceedings abroad; a Dutch judgment may not be enforceable there | Mediation first, then the Dutch courts |
| Invoice and VAT | Foreign invoice, reverse-charge VAT | Dutch invoice in euros with Dutch VAT |
| Payment | Often upfront, by international transfer | Staged per milestone, after your approval |
| Personal data | Your job to arrange GDPR transfer safeguards | Data processing agreement and EU Standard Contractual Clauses included |
| Intellectual property | Depends on the supplier’s terms | Transfers to you on payment, recorded in writing |
| If the team fails | Find a new supplier yourself | Replacement team at our cost |
General information, not legal advice. The final terms are in our client agreement.
Eight commitments
What you get with every assignment
02
Payment
Staged payments
Your payment is staged to ensure expected delivery: you pay each milestone only after you have approved the work.
03
Delivery
Replacement guarantee
If a team misses the agreed quality or deadline, we replace it at our cost within [X] working days.
04
Start small
A paid pilot first
2–4 weeks, small scope. Not satisfied? You pay nothing and are not tied to anything.
05
Data
GDPR package
Data processing agreement, EU Standard Contractual Clauses, EU hosting by default and security certifications we check.
06
Insurance
Liability and cyber cover
Professional liability up to € [X] and cyber insurance up to € [X] per assignment, via [insurer].
07
Disputes
Resolved in the Netherlands
We mediate first. If needed, disputes go to the Dutch courts, never abroad.
08
Continuity
You are never locked in
Documentation, code and access are handed over at every milestone. What you paid for is yours.
Why Dutch law changes the risk
The risk sits with us, in the Netherlands
EU rules let businesses choose which law governs their contract and which court hears disputes. When both parties are Dutch, that choice is simple and enforceable: Dutch law, a Dutch court, a Dutch company you can hold to account.
Contract an Asian supplier directly and it gets harder. A judgment from a Dutch court is generally not directly enforceable in India, for example; you would usually have to start new proceedings there. Transferring personal data outside the EU needs extra safeguards under the GDPR. And under Dutch copyright law, rights in software only transfer to you by a written deed.
We take care of all of that in our contracts with delivery partners, so you do not have to.
Documents
Available on request during the beta. [Replace with download links when final.]
- Data processing agreementPDF · [coming soon]
- EU Standard Contractual ClausesPDF · [coming soon]
- Security overviewPDF · [coming soon]
- Insurance certificatePDF · [coming soon]
- Client terms and conditionsPDF · [coming soon]
- Connector terms and code of conductPDF · [coming soon]
Questions about the contract
Is Needspan a broker or the contracting party?
The contracting party. You have one contract, with us. We are responsible for delivery and contract the specialist team ourselves.
Which court handles a dispute?
We mediate first. If that fails, the dispute goes to the Dutch courts, as set out in the client agreement.
Do I pay Dutch VAT?
Yes, you receive a normal Dutch invoice with VAT, which you can usually reclaim as a VAT-registered business.
Who owns the code and documents?
You do, once you have paid for the milestone. The transfer is recorded in writing.
Ready to work with Asia, safely?
Describe your challenge. The shortlist is free and without obligation.