Budget Day: access to justice further developed

Access to justice will once again be a priority for the cabinet in 2023. This topic will also be on the agenda for the notarial profession in the coming years. It is a key topic in the study into the state of the notarial profession, which the Minister of Legal Protection discussed with the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-Law Notaries (KNB) last year.

On November 4, 2021, the House of Representatives requested the Minister for Legal Protection to conduct an investigation into the state of the notarial profession. A key topic of this investigation is access to justice: is the notarial profession easily accessible to everyone?

Great importance
During last year's meeting, the Minister informed the Royal Netherlands Notary Association (KNB) that she considers the study to be of great importance. The study was submitted at the end of June 2022 for scheduling and implementation by the Research and Documentation Centre (WODC). The KNB is pleased that this topic remains on the agenda and will continue to raise awareness of the position and role of notaries in this matter.

Preventive effect
Access to justice is a prerequisite for a well-functioning constitutional state. It's crucial that the legal infrastructure is capable of providing citizens and businesses with the best possible access to justice, even in the digital age. Current discussions often focus on providing people with easily accessible access to information, advice, dispute resolution support, legal aid, and the possibility of obtaining a decision from a neutral body.

Legal certainty
The benefits of the preventative role of the notary are often overlooked. The notary handles matters with the interests of the parties involved in mind and provides legal certainty, thus preventing disputes. Increased involvement of the notary can prevent legal proceedings, which, among other things, reduces the burden on the judiciary and saves the parties involved money, energy, and frustration.