Two months after Parliament voted to end a ban on brothels in force since 1912, the Netherlands Justice Ministry says it will lift a ban on brothels starting Oct. 1, 2000.
The Ministry says it's hoping to improve regulation of voluntary prostitution and fight trafficking in women. "Prostitution exists, that's a fact also for the authorities. It calls for a realistic approach," the Ministry says, in a statement obtained by Reuters.
It's estimated that two thousand brothels will need to register with local authorities. They will also have to meet safety standards and prove they hire no illegal workers.
The new law will also cover landlords who rent window rooms to prostitutes in Amsterdam's red light district.
