The Netherlands Promises Transparancy Regarding Wiretapping

The Dutch Minister of Justice promised on 26 November 2009 at the request of the Dutch Parliament to provide more transparency regarding wiretapping. The Dutch government is placing relatively many taps on a per-capita basis, compared to other countries. During a debate in the Parliament, members of Parliament voiced their concerns on the lack of transparency and insisted on more accountability.

In reaction, the Minister of Justice indicated firstly that the government would provide information on how many internet-taps are placed. It also promised to commission a report regarding the effectiveness of wiretapping. The report will touch on whether the amount of wiretaps is necessary, and to what extent the notification obligation is being complied with. The notification obligation is the obligation to inform persons that they have been tapped. The report will also touch on how many times a request for authorisation to apply a wiretap has been denied by the court.