News item | 03-11-2023 | 2:30 PM
Professor Kars de Graaf becomes the first government commissioner for the Environment Act. He will take up the new position on January 1, 2024, at the same time as the new legal system comes into effect. The government commissioner for the Environment Act contributes to monitoring and guaranteeing the quality and unity of the system. The Environmental Act bundles the legislation and regulations of environmental law into one system.
At the proposal of Minister De Jonge of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Council of Ministers has agreed to establish the position of Government Commissioner for the Environment Act and to appoint De Graaf for this purpose.
The government commissioner ensures that the system’s potential is optimally utilized and makes proposals for further development. In view of this, the government commissioner also has the task of providing solicited and unsolicited advice on important developments surrounding the Environmental Act system.
The establishment of the government commissioner results from recommendations of the former Integrated Advisory Committee on the Environment Act and from commitments to parliament. The recruitment took place in a public procedure based on a profile sketch.
Kars de Graaf is affiliated with the Faculty of Law of the University of Groningen as professor of administrative law and sustainability. He is an expert in the field of general administrative law and environmental law, including the Environmental Act. In addition to his position as government commissioner for Environmental Law, he remains affiliated with the law faculty in Groningen.