The introduction of the Environment and Planning Act is postponed again by six months. Minister Hugo de Jonge (spatial planning) reports to the House of Representatives that the law must enter into force on 1 January 2024. It is the fifth time that the introduction of the law, already passed in 2016, has been postponed.
The Environmental Act must bring together dozens of laws and regulations for land use planning, making it easier, for example, to obtain a building permit. In future, municipalities will be able to do this via a digital gateway.
New Year’s Eve
The law was intended to go into effect last year, but the Senate did not pass it. The computer system required by law has not been secure or stable enough for a long time. The ICT Assessment Advisory Board concluded that there were still “significant limitations” in the so-called Digital System Environment Act (DSO). Even now, the Senate has yet to approve the introduction effective January 1.
The technology is now in place, reports the interior ministry. Municipalities and the business community wanted enough time to organize everything before the new system went into effect. That’s why January 1 was chosen.
The delay has already cost more than the originally estimated costs for the project. In total, the introduction of the law will cost the various governments between 1.3 and 1.9 billion euros, spread over the period 2016-2029.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
