Dutch Data Protection Authority; He invited Foreign Minister Hoekstra to discuss the racist algorithm used in Schengen visa applications.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) invited Foreign Minister Hoekstra to meet with him to explain the algorithm used in the evaluation of Schengen visa applications, which encourages discrimination.
According to the news of NRC Dagblad newspaper; Foreign Minister Woepke Hoekstra was summoned to personally make a statement to the Dutch Data Protection Authority regarding the application.
“Official consultation will take place”
Making a statement to the newspaper, the EP spokesperson stated that several meetings were held with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the past year, and then they requested documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Now we have invited the Minister,” the spokesperson said. He said and shared the information that it was “obligatory” for the Minister to come to this meeting.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to the newspaper that the AP had requested additional information “on the necessity and proportionality of data processing” in visa procedures. The spokesperson said there would be “official consultation”.
Research result: Algorithm still in use
The research, conducted by Lighthouse Reports in partnership with the NRC newspaper, noted that the Netherlands has been evaluating Schengen visa applications since 2015 using a racist algorithm, secretly and possibly illegally.
In the research; It was stated that the applicants for the Schengen visa are subjected to different evaluations according to the “risk profile”, which algorithms are created based on their gender, age and nationality. According to March 2023 data, it was revealed that 33 percent of visa applications considered as “high risk profile” were rejected, and the visa evaluation period for those in the said category took months, although the visa evaluation period was normally 90 days.
In the research, it was stated that although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised to make changes in the existing visa evaluation system based on discriminatory algorithms last year, no changes were made, and it was pointed out that the said system is still used by the Ministry.
Foreign Minister said they would eradicate racism
An independent investigation, the results of which were announced in December 2022, revealed that racism was widespread in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The report of the independent investigation conducted at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the “Black Lives Matter” protests, at the request of ministry officials, said that racism in the ministry “ranging from being aggressive, direct, overt, conscious to being subtle, indirect, covert, unintentional or unconscious; bicultural workers and white It was stated that non-local workers were exposed to forms of racism.
In his statement on the report, Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra noted that the incidents of racism were “extra painful because all forms of discrimination are prohibited and they advocate international justice,” adding, “We will do everything we can to eliminate racism within our institution.” had evaluated.