'Notary services must reach vulnerable target groups'

Access to Justice isn't just about money. It's also important that vulnerable groups find notary services and understand them. This was the conclusion of attendees at the Legal Gateway on November 10th.

Policymakers, academics, and practitioners discussed the theme of Access to Justice at Nieuwspoort. Political figures included Songül Mutluer (Labour Party) and Michiel van Nispen (Socialist Party). Both, like the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries (KNB), advocate for a form of social notarial services: partially subsidizing notarial services for people who cannot afford them themselves.

Initiative note
Van Nispen revealed during the meeting that he would be releasing a motion this week urging the Minister for Legal Protection to take action on this matter. The Royal Dutch Notary Association (KNB) supports his motion, "Towards a Social Notary." It aligns well with its own approach. After all, it's about more than just money: it's also important to reach vulnerable target groups and offer them accessible services.

Preventive effect
The Legal Gateway was divided into two parts. In the first part, Natascha Schnabl, a PhD candidate at the Open University, spoke about the importance of access to justice for everyone. She emphasized the preventative role of notaries, arranging matters before problems arise. Loes den Dulk of Raad op Maat (Customized Advice) then explained, from a healthcare perspective, how important it can be for healthcare clients, including people with intellectual disabilities, to arrange matters properly through a notary.