Dutch plans to screen all researchers and master’s students before they can work on “sensitive knowledge or technology” have been described as “disproportionate” by sector leaders, who warn the measures could make the Netherlands less attractive to talented international scientists.

, submitted for consultation by education, culture and science minister Eppo Bruins, highlights research areas that “pose the greatest risks to our national security”, among them “AI, nuclear, quantum, biotechnology, microchips” and “other technology with a possible military application”.

Screenings should be carried out by existing government authority Justis, the bill proposes, with an estimated 8,000 scholars – both domestic and international – screened every year. After a consultation period, the ministry intends for the law to be implemented “as soon as possible”, with a target launch date of “mid-2027”.

Speaking to Times 黑料吃瓜网, Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) strategic adviser Femke van Zijst described the bill as a “disproportionate measure for the goal it aims to achieve”, predicting “an enormous administrative burden” for universities as well as a significant cost.

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Pointing to differences in national research security policies across the European Union, Van Zijst warned of a potential “uneven playing field”, with Dutch institutions compelled to “reject researchers who are then simply hired by another European institution”.

“The increased administrative burden will cause delays for scientists wishing to work at a Dutch university,” Van Zijst added. “As a result, the Netherlands will become a less attractive destination for scientific talent.”

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Dutch Research Council (NWO) spokesperson Jennifer Bendsneijder shared similar concerns about “administrative burdens and the proportionality of the measures”, while noting the risk of “stigmatisation” of particular researchers. “At this moment it is still too early for a realistic assessment of the implications and feasibility,” Bendsneijder added.

Marileen Dogterom, president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), said Dutch institutions already have access to “useful” research security resources.

This includes a launched in 2022 by then education and science minister Robbert Dijkgraaf, which advises institutions on international collaborations, and a set of “National Knowledge Security Guidelines” produced through collaboration with KNAW, NWO, UNL and several other bodies.

These, Dogterom said, are “already doing a really good job, with not that much of an administrative burden”. The screening protocol proposed by the new bill “is overdoing it”, she said, adding, “It’s going to be a huge burden while picking out very few real risks.”

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Dogterom also raised concerns about the “very long, generic list” of research areas described as “sensitive” in the bill. “I’m in a technical university, and basically 70 per cent of what we do would fall on that list,” she said. “You may also get a sense of false security, because it’s a static list. There could be technologies developing that didn’t make it to this list yet that we would like to protect.”

“Without collaboration with other scientists from around the world, we may lose the edge on many technologies,” Dogterom added. “I always say if you close the door one way, you also close it the other way. It’s going to hamper progress.”

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com