haccpleren.nl offers a complete online HACCP course in English: 8 modules, about 2 hours, a final exam of 24 questions and a PDF certificate as soon as you pass. It costs €40 including VAT. The course follows the HACCP principles of the Codex Alimentarius and European food hygiene law (Regulation (EC) No 852/2004), which applies in every EU country. It is made for anyone who works with food in the EU and prefers to learn in English.
Do you work in a restaurant, hotel kitchen, catering company, bakery or food truck in the EU, and do you prefer English to the local language? The basic food hygiene rules are the same across the EU. This page explains what EU law requires, what our course covers and how you or your employer can get started.
Who needs HACCP training in the EU?
In every EU country, food businesses after primary production (such as farming) must work with procedures based on the HACCP principles. This follows from Article 5 of European Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, which applies directly in all member states. Each country has its own authority that checks this. In the Netherlands that is the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), which does not announce its inspections in advance.
The same regulation says that food business operators must make sure that everyone who handles food is supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene, in line with their work (Annex II, Chapter XII). So the duty to train lies with the employer.
EU law does not require a personal HACCP diploma. A course certificate is proof that you have followed training in food hygiene: a practical way for you to show your knowledge, and for your employer to show that staff have been trained. Some countries or regions have extra national rules for food handlers, so check what applies where you work. Whether an employer or authority in another country accepts our certificate is up to them.
Many countries also have national guides to good hygiene practice. In the Netherlands, for example, many hospitality businesses work with the Hygiene Code for the Hospitality Industry (Hygiënecode voor de Horeca) by KHN, the Dutch hospitality association. Such codes turn the HACCP rules into concrete working agreements on chilling, heating, hand washing and cleaning. Our course explains the EU rules and uses the Dutch code for practical examples.
What the course covers
The course has 8 modules and takes about 2 hours. You study at your own pace on your phone, tablet or computer, and your progress is saved automatically, so you can stop and continue later.
- Module 1: Introduction to food safety
- Module 2: Hazards in food
- Module 3: The 7 HACCP principles
- Module 4: Critical control points (CCPs)
- Module 5: Temperature and storage
- Module 6: Personal hygiene
- Module 7: Cleaning and disinfection
- Module 8: Recording and documentation
Each module ends with a short quiz of 4 questions. Along the way you get:
- 14 short videos of about one minute each, in English and Dutch.
- An AI tutor, Roos, who answers your questions about the course material and tells you where to find it. Roos is an AI, not a person, and is switched off during the final exam. Prefer a human? Use the button to ask a teacher and you get an answer by email within 24 hours on working days.
- A read-aloud function in every module, in English or Dutch, at the speed you choose.
You have 180 days of access from the moment your payment is received.
The final exam
When you have completed all 8 modules, you take the final exam online. It has 24 questions: 3 from each module, chosen at random. You pass with at least 18 correct answers (75%). Did not pass? You can retake the exam as often as you need, at no extra cost, as long as you have access.
Your certificate
As soon as you pass, you receive your certificate as a PDF by email, and you can also download it in My account. The certificate shows your name, the date and a unique certificate number, and is available in English and Dutch. It has no fixed expiry date and stays available in My account, also after your 180 days of access.
Employers can check whether a certificate is genuine on our verification page, using the certificate number and the holder's surname.
Price
For individuals
- €40 including VAT: course, exam and digital certificate (PDF).
- €55 including VAT: the same, plus a printed certificate sent by post within the Netherlands. Delivery takes about 2 weeks after you pass.
No subscription. You pay in advance online with iDEAL (a Dutch payment method) and receive an invoice by email straight away. You can also order a printed certificate later for €15 in My account. You have 14 days to cancel and get your money back, as long as you have not opened the course.
For employers
Employers buy licences per employee through an employer account and invite staff with a personal link. Each employee follows the course at their own pace and receives their own certificate. In the employer dashboard you see who has started, how far they are and who has passed. The invoice is in the company's name. Prices per employee, excluding VAT:
- 1 to 9 employees: €40 per person
- 10 to 19 employees: €35 per person
- 20 to 29 employees: €30 per person
- 30 or more employees: price on request
21% VAT is added at checkout.
How to start
Choose your package on the price page, create an account and pay. You can then start straight away. The whole course, including the final exam, is available in English: use the language switch at the top right of the website to change from Dutch to English.
Start your HACCP course in English
About 2 hours, 8 modules and a PDF certificate as soon as you pass.
For individuals: €40 → For employers →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a HACCP certificate to work with food in the EU?
EU law does not require a personal HACCP certificate or diploma. Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (Annex II, Chapter XII) does require food businesses to make sure that everyone who handles food is supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene, in line with their work. Some countries or regions add national rules, so check what applies where you work. A course certificate is a way to show that this training took place.
Is the certificate valid outside the Netherlands?
The course is based on the international HACCP principles (Codex Alimentarius) and on EU legislation, and the certificate is available in Dutch and English. Whether an employer or authority in another country accepts the certificate is up to that employer or authority.
Is the whole course available in English?
Yes. All 8 modules and the final exam are available in English. You choose the language with the language button at the top right of the website. The read-aloud function also works in English.
How long is the certificate valid?
The certificate has no fixed expiry date, and the law does not set one. Once you pass, you can keep downloading it from My account, also after your 180 days of course access have ended.
How can my employer check my certificate?
On our verification page (haccpleren.nl/verificeer) your employer enters the certificate number and your surname and sees straight away whether the certificate is known to us.
Can I get a refund?
Yes, within 14 days of purchase, as long as you have not opened the course yet. You request the refund yourself in My account.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, EUR-Lex
- Working with the HACCP system, NVWA (in Dutch)
- Our inspections in hospitality, retail and craft businesses, NVWA (in Dutch)
- Food safety plan or hygiene code, NVWA (in Dutch)
- HACCP rules in the kitchen and other areas, NVWA (in Dutch)
- Hygiene Code for the Hospitality Industry, KHN (in Dutch)
- Frequently asked questions, haccpleren.nl (course details and prices)
Written by the haccpleren.nl editorial team. Facts checked on 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email info@haccpleren.nl.