The Education Executive Agency (DUO), in charge of student financing in the Netherlands, received at least three warnings or reports about potentially discriminatory criteria in its investigations into fraud with study grants. At least two lawyers and one student have reported bias and possible discrimination to DUO and in court, Trouw reports.
For 10 years, the Netherlands wrongfully issued notifications to other European Union Member States and the United Kingdom regarding at least 22,000 cases where criminal sentences were imposed on people by a prosecutor, and not a courtroom. Member States are allowed to share information with each other about nationals or foreigners who have committed crimes and moved to another country.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) is investigating DUO, the government agency that implements education regulations and handles student financing requests. The reason for this is reports in the media about abuses in the fraud control about students living away from home, which is said to be discriminatory.
Notifying 'data breaches' that involve personal data has been a legal obligation in the Netherlands since 2016. This obligation was introduced for the entire EU when the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force.
Various parliamentarians have criticized the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP). According to the VVD, CDA, and PVV, the watchdog too often considers privacy more important than fighting crime, RTL Nieuws reports.