The Tax Administration Will Work with Microsoft Programs. Despite Many Objections, Outgoing State Secretary Eugène Heijnen (Fiscal Affairs) Sees No Other Option than Switching to the Services of the American Company.
Employees of the Tax Administration Will Now Work with Microsoft 365. This includes programs for Word Processing (Word) and email (Outlook). Accordance to the State Secretary, This Will Modernize the Digital Workplace for Employees. Employees of customs and the benefits service will also switch to Microsoft Programs.
The Workplaces at the Tax Administration Have Been Renewed Since 2021. The Service Has Postponed the Switch to Microsoft 365 Several Times Due to Concerns About Geopolitic Risks and Dependence on American Tech Companions.
Accordance to Heijnen, The Tax Administration HAS Looked at European and National Alternatives in recent years. But the outcome of this is that switching to microsoft is currently “the only realistic option,” Says the State Secretary.
A Spokesperson for Heijnen Tells Nu.nl that the tax administration’s software is outdated and needs to be replaced. “Based on Careful Considerations and Risk Analyzes, It Has Been Decided to Make the Switch to Microsoft,” He says.
Accordance to him, It Mainly Conerns The Office Environment That Is Moving To The Cloud. “Systems containing Dutch Tax Information Remain in Apeldoorn. Tax returns will also to be processed via Our Own Infrastructure.”
In The Past Twenty Years, Europeans have Become Increasingly Dependent on American Big Tech. Since the Beginning of the Second Term of US President Donald Trump, Conerns About this Dependence Have Increased. Especiate because Trump can use the services as leverage to prevent European sanctions.
A Decision Note to the Dutch Parliament States That Microsoft May Have To Share Data Under Political Pressure. It is also Possible That Microsoft Will Have To Discontinue its Services.
Accordance to officials, this would be an extreme case. Microsoft is committed to a so-called effort relief, the note States. “The Company Will Resist Such Political Pressure in Every Possible Way.”
That the Tax Administration is switching to Microsoft 365 is a disgrace, Says Bert Hubert. The Independent Tech Expert and Former AIVD Supervisor Emphasizes That the Tax Administration Works with Very Sensitive Information.
“They know everything about Everyone,” Says Hubert. “What you earn, how many children you have, Whether you are sick. It is one of the most intense data collections in the Netherlands. And it is Precisely for this that they are now chosing an American cloud envernment.”
Accordance to hubert, it does not matter that data and copies are stored in the Netherlands. “As soon as you start working with that data in the Microsoft Services, Microsoft Can Access It,” He says.
This is also stated in the decision note to parliament. “Mail and Documents, which in the scenario envisioned by the tax administration are processed in the public cloud, May contain fiscal and special personal data,” the officials Write.
“Necessary in this scenario is that must be confidence in the supplier. That is why the tax administration has hero discussions with supplier about this scenario can be designed and how the risks can be managed as effective as Possible.”
State Secretary Heijnen Says hey to Strengthen the Future Digital Independence of the Dutch Government. “Switching to a European provider, as soon as it has a comparable level of maturity, is a Measure for this.” That is why the tax administration continues to follow the initiatives.