The House of Representatives wants clarification about the relaxation of nitrogen rules for Schiphol

The House of Representatives wants clarification about the relaxation of the nitrogen rules that the government has applied exclusively to Schiphol. NRC reported on Tuesday that Minister Christianne van der Wal (Nature and Nitrogen, VVD) has weakened the nitrogen rules for Schiphol despite a negative advice from one of her highest officials. This made it easier to issue a nature permit to the airport in September. Other companies cannot claim the relaxation.

NSC, BBB, CDA, D66 and SGP will submit parliamentary questions in response to the reporting. NSC has also requested a debate. GroenLinks-PvdA wants to “discuss the permit for Schiphol in detail” in one of the first debates after the recess, says MP Laura Bromet by telephone.

The parties accuse Minister Van der Wal of applying double standards. Thousands of (farming) companies have been waiting for years for a correct permit. The government promised to help them with this, but has not yet fulfilled that promise. Only 6 of the 1,800 farms have now been legalized. Companies that do not comply with the rules by 2025 risk having to close their business in the worst case.

The MPs consider it unfair that Schiphol did receive a permit and could make use of more flexible rules that do not apply to farms. “Many farmers are stuck through no fault of their own. Apparently something can be arranged for Schiphol. That inequality is not possible within a constitutional state,” says NSC faction leader Pieter Omtzigt. BBB faction leader Caroline van der Plas thinks it is “an insult to the farmers”. “It is inexplicable that farmers have to wait while Schiphol is given priority,” says Van der Plas.

Schiphol bought nine retiring farms to compensate for its own nitrogen emissions. According to European legislation, nitrogen rights from discontinued (farm) businesses can only be used for a new permit if the space is not needed to restore or maintain vulnerable nature. The minister decided to ignore that demand for Schiphol.

‘Nitrogen hunt for farmers’

The House already called on the minister in a motion at the end of 2022 to “stop the nitrogen hunting of farmers for […] aviation”. According to CU MP Pieter Grinwis, farms are “sacrificed for flying holidays”.

Experts say that the permit for Schiphol will probably not stand up in court. Granting a legally shaky permit appears to be part of a delaying strategy by the ministry. By stalling for time, the government hopes that Schiphol will not have to shrink.

CU MP Grinwis believes that stalling for time is a “cynical strategy”, he writes on Schiphol.” Bromet is disappointed in Minister Van der Wal. “In one of the last parliamentary debates, Van der Wal accused the Chamber of always choosing economic interests. She now does that herself.”

Farmer organizations react angrily

The agricultural sector has reacted angrily to the weakening of the rules for Schiphol. LTO, the largest farmers’ interest group in the Netherlands with a claimed thirty thousand members, finds it “unacceptable” that the “minister is changing the rules of the game”. “This shows administrative arbitrariness,” says an LTO spokesperson.

The farmer app groups are now going crazy, says Mark van den Oever, leader of Farmers Defense Force. Farmers are furious, according to Van den Oever, and see their point confirmed. Confidence in the government was already at a low point, he says. “Farmers think it is unfair,” says Van den Oever. “They say: do you see that we are being treated unequally by the government?”

To share

Email the editor