Dutch Asylum Agency Updates Privacy Rules as Reception Crisis Deepens

2026-04-18 facilities

Netherlands, 18 April 2026
The Central Agency for Reception of Asylum Seekers has revised its privacy policy amid a national shortage of 4,500 reception places. The updated declaration covers how personal data—including sensitive information on health, ethnicity, and criminal records—is collected from asylum seekers living in reception centres, emergency shelters, and temporary facilities. This policy change comes as municipalities face mounting pressure to provide emergency accommodation, with some locations already operating under protest from local communities.

Comprehensive Data Collection Framework

The updated privacy declaration outlines the extensive scope of personal data processing undertaken by the COA [1]. The agency collects standard identification information including names, addresses, dates of birth, nationality, telephone numbers, personal interests, and bank account details [1]. Beyond basic personal data, the COA processes special categories of information including race or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, biometric data, health records, and criminal data [1]. This comprehensive data collection serves the primary purpose of providing accommodation and guidance during the asylum procedure in the Netherlands [1]. The processing activities encompass recording, storing, modifying, forwarding, and destroying data in accordance with the Algemene verordening gegevensbescherming (AVG) [1].

The COA operates within an extensive network of government agencies and organisations, receiving personal data from multiple sources beyond the asylum seekers themselves [1]. Key data providers include lawyers representing asylum seekers, government services such as Dienst Terugkeer en Vertrek (DT&V), Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND), Politie (AVIM), Dienst Justitiële Inrichting (DJI), Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMar), GezondheidsZorg Asielzoekers (GZA), and Stichting Nidos [1]. The agency also shares data with various partners including the Ministry of Justice and Security, healthcare providers, municipalities, banks, transport companies, and educational institutions [1]. Data storage occurs within the EU, with additional security measures applied when information is transmitted outside European borders [1]. The COA retains accommodation and guidance data for 20 years after file closure, whilst financial documents are preserved for seven years [1].

Emergency Accommodation Pressures Mount

The privacy policy update coincides with acute shortages in asylum accommodation across the Netherlands. Minister Bart van den Brink of Asylum and Migration confirmed on 26 March 2026 that there exists a national shortage of approximately 4,500 reception places for asylum seekers [3]. This deficit is projected to escalate dramatically, with expectations that the shortage will reach 7,900 places by the end of summer 2026 [4]. The pressure has forced municipalities to establish emergency shelters with minimal preparation time, as evidenced by recent developments in Wijdemeren and IJsselstein, where councils made decisions within days of receiving COA requests [3][4]. Emergency shelters provide basic necessities including sleeping facilities, shower access, three daily meals, and washing machines, though these represent temporary solutions rather than permanent accommodation [3].

Local Resistance and Financial Disputes

Several municipalities are experiencing significant challenges in implementing emergency accommodation, with some facing organised local opposition. In Wijdemeren, residents have launched a petition with 1,663 signatures objecting to the decision to house approximately 100 single male asylum seekers in the municipal office in Nieuw-Loosdrecht [5]. The petition, scheduled to end on 20 April 2026, cites concerns over inadequate communication, safety issues, and lack of community consultation [5]. Meanwhile, the municipality of Epe has imposed a record daily penalty of €63,480 on the COA for continuing to operate a hotel as asylum accommodation beyond the agreed two-year period [6]. This penalty could accumulate to €11.4 million if the situation persists, reflecting the severity of contractual disputes between municipalities and the COA [6]. Local businesses in Epe report economic damage due to the unavailability of hotel accommodation for tourists, with entrepreneur Ertan Berdo stating the need to reclaim their hotel for commercial use [6].

Bronnen

privacy rights personal data