News item | 25-02-2022 | 12:40
This week the internet consultation started the scheme that makes it possible to screen off visiting addresses of companies. For entrepreneurs who are faced with a threatening situation, it may be desirable if the address is not visible to everyone. In that case, the Chamber of Commerce can protect the data at the request of the entrepreneur.
Since 1 January 2022, residential addresses have already been protected in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce (KVK). The amendments to the Trade Register Decree that are now available for consultation make it possible to also protect the visiting address of a company or legal entity in the Trade Register. This can be done in two ways:
- A visiting address can be protected if this is necessary for the safety of one or more persons. This also applies if the address is not a residential address. The entrepreneur must substantiate that shielding is really necessary, for example by showing that a threat has been reported.
- People who are exposed to a likely threat through their profession, such as journalists, can also have their visiting address protected in the trade register as a preventive measure. For that protection, it must be an address that is also a residential address and the company must not be a capital company (BV or NV). The rules for preventive foreclosure are stricter, because this concerns a ‘probable threat’ and this carries less weight than the publication obligations in other laws. Professional organizations play a role in assessing the requests; they make agreements with the Chamber of Commerce about the criteria for profession-related foreclosure.
The changes are available for consultation until March 21. Interested parties can respond until then.