News item | 31-03-2025 | 14:28
The bill announced by Minister Bruins (OCW) for making the digitized Central Archives on Special Judicial (CABR) accessible to internet consultation today. This proposal must legally regulate a balance between the importance of protecting personal data and the importance of accessing government information and cultural heritage.
Minister Bruins: ,, It is of great importance that the relatives of victims from the Second World War can find more information about the fate of their loved ones. In addition, I want to give a boost to research into and education about the Second World War and the Holocaust. The eyewitnesses will no longer be there: then the heritage must tell the story. To also bring young people into contact with this painful past, it is important to address them in their own terrain, and that is online. “
Earlier Bruins was forced to postpone the planned online opening of the War Archive on January 2, 2025 after a warning letter from the AP (Dutch Data Protection Authority). The Cabr is the largest and most consulted archive about the Second World War in the Netherlands. The archive includes files of people who were investigated after the Second World War for collaboration with the German occupier.
Possibility of weighing interests
The bill provides for the possibility for archivists to make a balance of interests between the importance of online accessibility of an archive and the protection of personal data. In addition, the obligation to limit privacy risks as much as possible. This amendment to the law should make it possible for the digitized central archive to become special administration of justice (CABR) online to a wide audience.
Accessibility War Archives for amendment
Inspection in paper files of the War Archives remains possible to change the legislative amendment. Due to the great interest in the CART, the reading room of the National Archive is often fully booked.
In the second quarter of 2025, the war archive is expected to become digitally searchable at the National Archives on a limited scale. People with an investigation interest, among whom relatives can do research in the digitized war archive at the reading room in The Hague. It is currently one third of the war archive.
There is also consultation with the Regional Historical Centers for more capacity to make digital research possible in the region later this year. Of course with due observance of sufficient protection of personal data of possibly still living persons who appear in the files.
Procedure Bill
Via internet consultations, everyone can give an opinion about laws and rules that are in preparation. Interested parties can respond to the proposal for the amendment to the law until 28 April. The AP, the publicity and information management advisory board (ACOI), the General State Archivist and the Advisory College Assessment Regulatory Pressure (ACTR) are also requested for advice.
The feedback is processed, after which the bill is submitted to the Council of State, the highest advisory body of the government. The bill is then offered to the Lower and Senate.