Permit obligation on Amsterdam city center shops to combat undermining in tourist shops
Entrepreneurs who want to open a shop in the Amsterdam city center will soon have to apply for a permit first. The city hopes that the permit obligation will enable it to better monitor who starts a business there and thereby help it fight undermining crime through tourist shops in particular, AT5 reports
The city investigated illegal activity at shops in the city center and found that it was so common that a “parallel economy” had emerged. Shops aimed at tourists are particularly susceptible to undermining crime and are often used for money laundering, fraud, and other illegal activities, the municipality said.
“Amsterdam has a good infrastructure for this,” the city said. “You can blend in anonymously, everyone speaks English, and goods can be delivered easily. The airport is nearby.”
According to the Amsterdam mayor and aldermen, by no means all entrepreneurs in the city center are involved in criminal activities. The current situation actually makes it more difficult for honest entrepreneurs to establish themselves in the area.
The municipality can currently only take action when there are concrete signs of criminal activities. The city hopes that the permit requirement will enable it to intervene more structurally, by weeding out suspicious characters before they get established.
The method proved effective after a three-year experiment with permit requirements in Damstraat, Oude Doelenstraat, Oude Hoogstraat, and Nieuwe Hoogstraat. Of 69 applications, the city rejected 12 due to a risk of undermining activities.
While this measure isn’t actively stated to be against tourism, the city government has again been taking steps to reduce tourist pressure on the city center. On Thursday, the city announced it wants to make it harder for hotels to cram more beds into existing rooms, such as adding sleeping pods or more bunk beds. Cafe terraces may also be forced to close early, live sex shows in the Red Light District could see operating hours reduced, and coffeeshops may be enticed to relocate from the city center to other parts of Amsterdam.
