Minister sees no major problems in the absence of a law for digital meetings – IT Pro – News

Minister Hanke Bruins Slot does not think it is necessary to adopt a new temporary law that makes digital meetings possible for Dutch governments. The Association of Clerks called for this this month, because municipalities were in trouble because of the rising corona figures.

Bruins Slot of the Interior responds in a letter to parliament to questions from Hind Dekker-Abdulaziz of D66. She asked the minister about the situation surrounding the Temporary Act on digital consultation and decision-making. This law makes it possible for governments such as municipalities, provinces and water boards to vote digitally instead of in person. This could be done via a tool such as Meet, Teams or Zoom, or via the government’s own software such as WebEx. The law was adopted at the beginning of the corona crisis when civil servants and ministers had to work from home. The law was extended 11 times, but ended on July 1 this year. Shortly after that termination, the Association of Clerks on the Bell because the high number of corona infections ensured that many ministers still ended up at home. That made it difficult to pass laws and decisions.

Dekker-Abdulaziz asked the minister about the problems and possible solutions. Bruins Slot writes in her letter that the problems seem not to be too bad. Contrary to what the Association of Clerks says in its appeal, there appear to be few concrete problems due to the lack of a law. “Contacts with the Association of Clerks and the VNG have not revealed any major problems as a result of the expiry of the Temporary Act,” the minister writes. This is partly due to the fact that there are no meetings during the summer recess, but also because local administrators have found other solutions to the problem.

The minister is working on a permanent law, the Digital Meetings Act for local and regional authorities. It will not be sent to the House of Representatives until the first quarter of next year. Bruins Slot sees no reason to speed up that process. The minister does say that he can get the temporary law back on track if necessary. “If the health situation so requires, a new temporary law will be brought into procedure, so that decentralized parliaments can meet digitally in a safe manner.”

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