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LNV talks to banks about financing PAS reporters
The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is in talks with banks about providing financing to PAS reporters. That is what Carlijn van Gulpen, program manager for 'reports and other problems' at the ministry said on Monday 10 March during a webinar by LTO Nederland and the Dutch Agricultural Youth Contact (NAJK) under the title 'The nitrogen law, what next?'
Since the Council of State assessed in May 2019 that the Nitrogen Approach Program (PAS) may not be used as a basis for permission for activities, 3.600 PAS reporters are in fact without a permit and they have been denied a claim at the bank. The program manager of LNV says: "We are in regular dialogue with the banking sector. It is a known problem that banks are hesitant to provide financing to companies that currently do not have a valid nature permit."
Van Gulpen continues: "What we hope - and that is also how we discuss it with the banks - is that the law will help. Once the PAS reporters have submitted their data, they will be verified. They will also receive a copy of this and so it says: we have verified your data and it is correct, and as soon as there is nitrogen space, you will get a permit. information to provide financing anyway."
Roy Meijer of the NAJK called on the banks: "Please come along. It is not necessary to hold the entrepreneur hostage for three years. I also call on the government, enter into discussions with banks that reporting parties and reporting-free activities can continue to innovate, because now she's silent and that's a shame."
Already 1.000 PAS detectors registered
According to Mark Blomsma, policy support employee and licensing authority at the province of Utrecht, 1.000 of the 3.600 PAS reporters have already reported. Blomsma points out that reporting (and with that insight into legalization) can also help if the locations of reporting persons are announced and if there are enforcement requests. "The moment you provide your data, we can at least do the assessment. For the same money, you're done."
"If you don't report, you won't be taken. Maybe you can report later, but there will come a time when that is over and then you have an illegal situation with all the associated risks. A shame, especially with the free space that is now being given," said Blomsma.
Legalization by the end of 2024
The Nitrogen Act states that legalization of PAS reporters will be carried out within three years after the program has been adopted. According to Van Gulpen, the intention is that the program will start at the end of this year. Trientje Elshof, who was present on behalf of LTO Nederland, asked how this relates to the promise of outgoing minister Carola Schouten that the first permit was issued in the spring. Van Gulpen: "What we want to start with first is those reporters who do not need space, to let them know that their situation is legal. Reports who can balance internally are in principle already reporting-free."
The program manager continues: "At the same time, we can well imagine that they would also like to receive something from their province that shows that what they are doing is allowed. That is the first batch of PAS reporters that we want to start with. nitrogen space is also needed to be able to license the other PAS detectors," says Van Gulpen. "It is expected that it will be released in the third quarter."
'Great challenge to free up nitrogen space'
It will be quite a task to complete this within three years, according to Van Gulpen's words. "It is absolutely the aim to do this within three years from the end of this year, but there are areas where it is much more complicated. The housing task in South Holland is very large. It is quite difficult to find the space. But this is the law to which the agriculture minister has committed himself. The nitrogen space is very scarce, so that will be the big challenge to get it released in a good way."
Linda van Eekeres
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