Minister scraps proposal for extensive screening of foreign researchers

Plans to extensively vet foreign scientists and students with access to sensitive tech data are unrealistic, according to Minister of Education Rianne Letschert. The D66 minister informed parliament of the policy shift in an official briefing, rolling back an initiative introduced by the previous administration.

The proposed screening system for researchers and students joining Dutch universities and research institutions was designed to safeguard sensitive technological knowledge from espionage and unauthorised transfer. Dutch intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned that foreign states, including Russia, China, and Iran, attempt to acquire expertise and technology that may have strategic or military applications.

After consulting stakeholders about the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed screening programme, the government concluded that the plan should not move forward. Letschert is now assessing whether a narrower, more focused screening approach could work, while simultaneously considering other ways to protect sensitive knowledge. “Doing nothing is not an option,” she said.

Letschert said screening measures can be valuable “if it is used where it is genuinely necessary.” If applied too broadly, however, “it unnecessarily hampers research and scientific work.”

In her view, the previous government's proposal lacked sufficient focus, meaning it would have subjected a larger group of researchers and students to screening than was justified.

According to Letschert, the burden would not fall solely on universities and research institutions; the authorities responsible for implementing and supervising the screening system could also face significant strain, leading to long delays.

She warned that if researchers are forced to wait too long before being allowed to work in the Netherlands, they may decide to pursue opportunities in other countries. “I want to prevent that,” she wrote.