Economic Affairs Minister Micky Adriaansens wants self-employed professionals to be able to fully shield their business address in the KVK Business Register. Their business address is often their home address. She submitted the proposal to the House of Representatives in a letter setting out her vision for the register.
Access only for authorised organisations
A shielded business address would then only be accessible to government authorities such as the Dutch Tax Administration and certain other organisations, including bailiffs and lawyers. A definitive list is still needed of organisations permitted to view an address shielded at the entrepreneur's request.
An alternative address
An entrepreneur who does not want their business address disclosed through the Business Register must provide an alternative, such as a PO box or another mailing address. In principle, anyone could contact the entrepreneur there. It is not yet clear when the new arrangement will begin, but Minister Adriaansens asks KVK to be accommodating towards shielding requests even before it officially takes effect.
Telephone numbers and email addresses
Unsolicited marketing calls and emails to business contact details are a major irritation, especially for self-employed professionals who also use those details privately. In her letter, the minister proposes making these details non-public too and banning unsolicited marketing.
A less open Business Register
For a long time, the House of Representatives also believed the Business Register should disclose as much information as possible about entrepreneurs, enabling anyone to see whom they are doing business with. This view is changing. Self-employed professionals have long opposed disclosure of their business address, often also their home address. People in vulnerable professions, such as freelance news photographers, journalists and lawyers, can easily be traced and targeted by criminals. The minister wants the proposed changes to end this.