Netherlands: Requests to view BVD files
01 January 1999
At the beginning of December the Council of State decided that the BVD (Internal Security Service) cannot impose restrictions on requests to view personal files. The service is allowed to withhold details related to areas where the BVD is still active.
The case was brought by the Vereniging Voorkom Vernietiging (Association for the Prevention of Destruction) which for many years represents the interests of people who have requested to view their personal files. For some time the BVD has demanded to know from the applicants the contexts of their requests. Furthermore, the details must not be part of ongoing investigations. Many people refused to give this information and appealed. The Civil Court in Den Bosch granted these appeals and now the Council of State has upheld this decision. The ruling applies to everybody whose applications are still being dealt with.