'RVO helps animal activists with phosphate rights'

Farmers Defense Force (FDF) has lawyers find out whether the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) is allowed to make public how many phosphate rights each company has. Agractie Nederland has also sounded the alarm at RVO. "A gross invasion of privacy and a huge security risk."

This is also the view of FDF chairman Mark van den Oever: "RVO gives animal activists a helping hand in their efforts to make life miserable for farmers." He informs the followers of FDF that he will provide more information early next week whether the publication of the phosphate rights can be legally challenged. The agricultural entrepreneurs received a letter from RVO in the bus this week that the government service will indicate by the middle of this month how many phosphate rights each company has. According to RVO, this is mandatory in accordance with the Fertilizers Act.

AVG proof
According to the government service, the publication is in line with the rules set for privacy (GDPR). This means that probably not all company data can be viewed, although there is a lot of uncertainty about this. An earlier webpage on RVO.nl where practically all company and personal data were mentioned as 'collection purpose' for publication, appears to have suddenly been removed, according to Agractie. 

But with just the company name and a description of the area (for example, the name of the province), Google can quickly do its job, farmers comment on social media. Agractie reports that it is closely monitoring developments and taking action if necessary.

Parliamentary debate
The tone of the letter is also not up to many farmers and FDF, especially when it is clinically stated that it is not possible to object to the decision. "RVO does not determine that. FDF can make objections clear in several ways. FDF has one course: a straight one, and on a collision course if necessary," writes Van den Oever.

Several MPs have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision. SGP member Roelof Bisschop calls the measure 'bizarre'. CDA MP Jaco Geurts calls on agriculture minister Carola Schouten not to make the data public until the House of Representatives has debated it. 

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