News item | 25-08-2025 | 09:00
The government wants to declare sustainability activities that reduce at least 30% nitrogen permit -free. This allows companies and projects to continue to make it more sustainable, without long and uncertain permit procedures. Today the internet consultation on this proposal starts.
For many projects it is uncertain whether it is still possible to get a nature permit. As a result, they are delayed or they no longer continue. This also applies to sustainability activities that reduce a lot of nitrogen in the long term, such as the switch to electric trains, residential areas that go from the gas and switch to heat pumps or farmers who make their stables more sustainable. The cabinet finds this very undesirable. With the General Administrative Order (AMvB) ‘permit -free sustainability activities’, the government offers clarification on existing legislation that certain sustainability activities are permit -free and can be carried out as quickly as possible.
Minister Wiersma: “We are currently dealing with the crazy situation that projects that ultimately ensure less nitrogen emissions are in uncertainty whether they can get a permit due to nitrogen restrictions. While these are the projects we need. We are stuck in rules that counterproduct work. I want to break through projects that help the Netherlands.”
Improvement of nature
Making projects more sustainable ensures that the emission of nitrogen becomes lower and that is better for nature. With this AMvB, the government clarifies that these sustainability activities are seen as a management measure for nature improvement and are free of permit.
Which activities does this apply to? This permit exemption only applies to activities that:
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Conditions
The measure applies to activities that lead to at least a reduction of 30% compared to the current licensed situation. During construction, the emissions may be temporarily higher, for example due to construction traffic. That may take a maximum of three years and that are no more than five times the emission of the final situation. A small, temporary increase in nitrogen emissions is therefore permitted, but after the realization phase there must always be a permanent decrease.
The internet consultation runs from August 25 to October 5. The internet consultation is held to give everyone (entrepreneurs, governments, social organization, citizens) the opportunity to give their views.