The Royal Notarial Association (KNB) wants the law to be amended so that notaries can inform each other about suspicious clients via a ‘grey list’. In this way, civil-law notaries can fulfill their role as ‘gatekeepers’ much more effectively under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act (Wwft). That is what KNB chairman Annerie Ploumen says in an interview with NRC†
Notaries are now running into their duty of confidentiality, says Ploumen. Under the Wwft, they are obliged to screen customers extensively. If this leads to a rejection, for example because there may be money laundering, then the same customer – who then knows the screening process – can sometimes get it done at another civil-law notary. Ploumen calls this “frustrating”.
According to the KNB, a confidential gray list for notaries among themselves can prevent suspicious customers from completing a real estate transaction or setting up a private limited company at another notary. But for such a list, the law must be amended.
Read the whole piece here: ‘Notaries are people too, and they occasionally make mistakes’
Ploumen says he has already brought the wish to the attention of Minister Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection, D66) and will discuss it with him shortly. The Ministry of Justice and Security says it is not yet in a position to respond.
Interview Ploumen page S10-11
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper of May 23, 2022