News item | 03-20-2026 | 3:30 PM
The government wants to make the Temporary Administrative Measures Against Terrorism Act permanent. The Council of Ministers agreed to this on the proposal of Minister Van Weel of Justice and Security. The law gives the government the power to impose freedom-restricting measures on people if they may pose a terrorist threat but criminal law does not or does not yet offer any options. Without amendment, the current law will expire on March 1, 2027.
Minister Van Weel: “As Minister of Justice and Security, security in our society always comes first for me. Terrorism is an attack on our freedom and security. By making this law permanent, we ensure that the government can intervene quickly, preventively and targetedly when national security requires it.”
The permanent law
The temporary law will be converted into a permanent law by the cabinet. The law offers the possibility of imposing a reporting obligation, an area ban or a contact ban on persons with a terrorist threat profile. This concerns persons who, based on their behavior, can be associated with terrorist activities or their support. In addition, an exit ban can be imposed, which prohibits someone from leaving the Schengen area if it is suspected that they intend to join a terrorist organization. The law has a change compared to the temporary law; The cabinet has decided to cancel the measure to withdraw subsidies and permits, as it has never been implemented since its introduction.
Advice from the Council of State
Temporarily restricting someone’s freedom without prior conviction is a drastic measure. The Council of State therefore commented on the necessity of the proposal. The government recognizes this, but consciously chooses to make the law permanent. The bar for imposing a measure is high and is therefore not often used. The terrorist threat remains undiminished. The government therefore considers it essential that the Minister of Justice and Security can use this instrument if this is necessary to protect national security. The bill is now being submitted to the House of Representatives.
