Five legislative changes ensure that the Public Entities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will be able to register and process BSN’s, thus making it legally possible to introduce digital government facilities like the DigiD login protocol. A DigiD allows inhabitants to log into government platforms in the European and Caribbean Netherlands, and to arrange their affairs. This represents an important step forward in the Government’s ambition to digitalize government services and to bring them in line with those in the European Netherlands. The online discussions about the legislative proposal will start today, while it is also being presented to the Dutch Data Protection Authority and the BES Personal Data Protection Committee for advice. The aim is for the legislative changes to take effect in 2025.

Arranging matters online

The BSN gives inhabitants of the Caribbean Netherlands a unique and person-specific number, which is the same number used by authorities in the European Netherlands so that personal data can be registered online. This number is needed to digitalize the services provided by the government. This includes introducing a DigiD, which people can use to prove their identity online when arranging certain matters with the government. The legislative proposal will also ensure that people will no longer have to physically come to the service counter if they relocate within the Public Entities. It will be legally possible for people to report moving to a new address online.

One number and login process for the whole government

The BSN means that inhabitants of the Caribbean Netherlands will only need one number for the whole government. In time, the BSN will replace the ID and CRIB numbers, which are currently used to identify people when interacting with the government. The BSN will also replace the ID number on the new identity card. One of the main prerequisites for using a personal number is that it must be unique and not contain any information. This is currently not the case with the ID number. For instance, it includes the person’s date of birth, and the numbers are limited, which means there is a risk of the same ID number being assigned to another person. In addition, the CRIB number cannot be used when interacting with the government of the European Netherlands. The login process for MijnCN will also be replaced by DigiD, so inhabitants can log into the digital government platform via a single login protocol.

New tasks for the Executive Council of Public Entities

Pursuant to the legislative proposal, the Public Entities will be responsible for supplying information to the BRP and for registering the BSN in their own public records (PIVA). The legislative proposal will alter existing processes for registration of initial residence or reporting a birth. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and the Public Entities are currently examining the consequences of the legislative proposal for executing the new service-related tasks.

Responses to the laws can be submitted until July 31, 2023, 23.59 p.m. Dutch European time. This can be done via: https://www.internetconsultatie.nl/wetbsnbes.

RCN