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Privacy

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit, NVWA) is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. The NVWA takes careful measures into processing your personal data.

The protection of this data is regulated in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Police Data Act (in Dutch). The purpose of the GDPR and the Police Data Act is to protect the general public against privacy infringement or risks. To this cause the NVWA has adopted a privacy policy and this privacy statement is a summary of this policy. Please take note that this privacy statement is a translation of the Dutch privacy statement (in Dutch) and may contain inadequacy in terms of translation. It is not possible to derive any rights from its content. For any disputes about the interpretation of its content the Dutch version is determinant. 

What is personal data?

Personal data is any information through which you can be identified directly or indirectly. You share personal data with NVWA when you contact the organisation, for example when you ask a question or apply for an export certificate. NVWA also asks for your personal data in order to fulfil its public-law and statutory duties. Examples of personal data are your name, your telephone number and your email address, as well as your computer’s IP address and your Citizen Service Number (BSN). It concerns all data that we can connect to you. When your personal data is processed for criminal enforcement purposes, this personal data is called “police data” (politiegegevens).

NVWA’s privacy principles

The NVWA takes careful measures into processing your personal data and has formulated its privacy principles for this purpose. The NVWA processes personal data according to the following principles:

NVWA only processes personal data if …

There is a legitimate basis to do so for the purpose of the performance of its duties.

NVWA has the interests of you as the data subject at heart

During the setup and management of data processing and registration the NVWA takes into account the privacy risks for data subjects. Personal data is not stored any longer than is necessary for the purpose for which the data is processed.

NVWA is transparent

The NVWA will inform you promptly about the purpose of and reason for the processing activities. The NVWA also publishes this on its website.

NVWA safeguards your rights

The NVWA ensures your personal data remains accurate and up to date. You can request for access, rectification, erasure or restriction of your data for all processing activities at the NVWA, provided no legal provisions are in place to prevent this and where such is technically possible.

NVWA is reticent in terms of passing on data to third parties

The NVWA exercises the greatest caution and reticence in terms of disclosing your personal data to third parties. The NVWA will not share data with external parties until it has checked the lawfulness of such action.

NVWA secures your data

The NVWA takes appropriate technical and organisational measures concerning the storage and processing of data. Prior to the collection and input of data, the NVWA conducts an analysis and takes measures to ensure the personal data is secured.

NVWA documents its principles

The NVWA documents its compliance with these privacy principles in the public domain. Supervisory authorities, politicians and the general public can always ask the NVWA for an explanation and the details of these principles.

Retention periods

The NVWA will not store your personal data any longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it is processed, with due regard to the Public Records Act (in Dutch) and the Police Data Act.


Social media/external platforms

The NVWA uses the internet to provide part of its services. Please note that you leave behind personal data via this external platform. The NVWA is active on social media, such as Twitter and LinkedIn, for communication purposes.


Processing register

The NVWA keeps a register of all its processing activities. This register (in Dutch) contains the following information for each processing activity: a brief description of the types of data processed, a description of what is done with the data and the person who is responsible for processing the data. In this way you can verify that NVWA is using your data in accordance with the rules of the GDPR and the Police Data Act.

Data security

NVWA applies national and international standards and guidelines for securing information, including your personal data. NVWA complies with:

Your rights

The GDPR and the Police Data Act are based on your rights as the data subject:

  • You want to know whether the NVWA is processing your personal data, and if so, which personal data.
  • You want your personal data to be rectified.
  • You want your personal data to be erased or hidden.
  • You want to restrict the personal data processed by the NVWA.
  • You want to object.

Do you wish to make a request related to the above rights on the basis of the GDPR or do you want to object? Send an email to privacy@nvwa.nl.

You can also submit your request or objection in writing to the NVWA, Disclosure & Privacy team, PO Box 43006, 3540 AA Utrecht.

Do you wish to make a request for access or rectification on the basis of the Police Data Act? You can submit your request in writing to the NVWA, Disclosure & Privacy team, PO Box 43006, 3540 AA Utrecht.

If you will like to make such a request, please send a (digital) copy of your proof of identity (passport / ID card) (in which you have rendered illegible your citizen service number (BSN) and the number of your proof of identity), along with your request. The NVWA will erase the (digital) copy of your proof of identity if your identity is confirmed.

If a lawyer submits a request on your behalf, he or she must submit a written authorisation signed by you. If a request relates to minors or persons placed under guardianship, relevant evidence in writing must be submitted.

If you disagree with a decision of the NVWA about your request or objection, you have the option to submit a request for mediation or advice to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (in Dutch), PO Box 93374, 2509 AJ, The Hague.

Data Protection Officer

The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has a Data Protection Officer (DPO), who also performs the statutory duties on behalf of NVWA. You can ask your question by email via PbFG@minlnv.nl or by sending a letter to:

Data Protection Officer
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Executive Office
PO Box 20401
2500 EK The Hague

If you think that your personal data is not processed in accordance with the GDPR or the Police Data Act, you can submit a complaint to the Dutch Data Protection Authority.

More information