Original: The Dutch East India Company (or VOC in Dutch, literally "United East Indian Company") was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia.
Simplified: The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC in old Dutch), started in 1602, when the Netherlands gave it a 21-year monopoly to trade in Asia.