Data protection officer 

Businesses, branch organisations, governments and institutions can appoint their own internal supervisor of the processing of personal data: the data protection officer.

Within the organisation, the data protection officer supervises the application of and compliance with the Wet bescherming persoonsgegevens (Wbp; Dutch Data Protection Act). The statutory tasks and powers of the data protection officer give this officer an independent position in the organisation.

Citizens, customers, clients, employees, in short all persons in question whose personal data are being processed, can contact a data protection officer for information, inspection of their own processed data or for complaints.

The Dutch DPA must be notified of all data protection officers (appointed pursuant to Articles 62-64 of the Wbp). The Dutch DPA has the statutory task of keeping a public register of data protection officers.

Appointing a data protection officer will mean that the Dutch DPA will exercise restraint with regard to organisations in which this data protection officer functions properly. The Dutch DPA will, wherever possible, refer persons with questions or complaints to the data protection officer. However, as the national supervisory authority, the Dutch DPA retains all powers with regard to organisations that have appointed a data protection officer.

Go to the public register of data protection officers.