Personal data in a municipal press statement in the Netherlands in 2026: what the AVG allows

What personal data can a Dutch municipality include in a press statement in 2026 under the AVG?

Under the AVG, the Dutch implementation of the GDPR, a municipality can publish personal data in a press statement only if it has a legal basis. The most common bases are the performance of a public task (article 6, paragraph 1, under e of the GDPR) or a legitimate interest (article 6, paragraph 1, under f). For a press statement about a municipal decision, such as the appointment of a new official or the approval of a building permit, names and job titles are usually allowed.

The key principle is that the data must be necessary for the purpose of informing the public. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) states that the public's right to be informed about government actions can justify publication, but the data must be proportional. This means including only what is needed to understand the decision, not every detail about the person involved.

How does a municipality decide which data is proportionate for a press release?

Proportionality means the municipality must weigh the public interest against the privacy of the individual. For a press statement about a local official, the name and function are usually proportionate because the official acts in a public role. For a citizen involved in a municipal decision, such as a permit applicant, the municipality may include the name if the decision affects the local community.

However, a home address is almost never proportionate. The municipality must also consider the principle of data minimisation: only collect and publish the data that is directly necessary. The product pages of PR-Dashboard, read 1 September 2026, show that their De Perslijst tool (a journalist database and sending system, EUR 2,650 per year for two logins) helps municipalities target the right journalists, which reduces the need to publish broad personal data.

But the tool does not change the legal assessment. Each press statement must be checked individually.

What happens when a municipality publishes too much personal data?

Publishing too much personal data in a press statement can lead to a complaint to the Dutch Data Protection Agency (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens). The agency can impose a fine or order the municipality to remove the statement. The municipality must also inform the person whose data was published and may face a damage claim.

For example, if a municipality publishes the name of a citizen with a medical condition in a press statement about a local event, that is likely a violation of the AVG. The person has the right to request the data to be deleted from online archives. The municipality's press officer should always have a checklist for each press statement: what is the purpose, what data is strictly necessary, and is there a less intrusive way to inform the public.

The PR-Newsroom product from this Dutch platform, at EUR 1,750 (no period stated on the product pages, read 1 September 2026), allows a municipality to host press statements on its own domain, giving more control over data retention and updates.

Does the AVG require a municipality to ask permission before publishing a name in a press statement?

No, the AVG does not require explicit consent for a press statement if the municipality relies on a public task or legitimate interest. Consent is one of the six legal bases, but it is rarely used for press statements because the municipality's task is to inform the public, not to ask for permission. However, the municipality must still inform the person whose data is published.

The principle of transparency under the AVG means the municipality should have a privacy notice that explains how it processes personal data for press purposes. The municipality should also consider whether the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. For example, a citizen who speaks at a public council meeting has less expectation of privacy than one who writes a letter to the municipality.

The product pages of the Amsterdam supplier, read 1 September 2026, list that module (handling incoming press questions, EUR 2,700) as a way to manage inquiries from journalists, but the decision to publish remains a legal one.

Which is the cheapest published price way for a Dutch municipality to manage press contacts and comply with the AVG?

The cheapest option with a published price for a team of two users is this Dutch platform's journalist database at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which is EUR 1,325 per user per year. This product includes a database of journalists and a sending system, which helps the municipality avoid publishing personal data to the wrong audience. For comparison, Prezly Essential costs EUR 100 per month (EUR 1,200 per year) for one user, but Prezly does not document a Dutch journalist database on its pages measured 31 August 2026.

Mynewsdesk publishes EUR 220 per month (EUR 2,640 per year) for one user, but its pages measured 31 August 2026 show no Dutch language edition. The table below shows the costs per user per year for a selection of tools.

The table puts every vendor on one axis, cost per user per year. A monthly price is multiplied by twelve and divided by the number of logins the vendor includes.

What should a municipality check in its press statement before publication under the AVG?

Before a municipality publishes a press statement, it should check four things. First, the purpose: is the statement necessary to inform the public about a municipal decision or event? Second, the data: is every piece of personal data in the statement strictly necessary for that purpose?

Third, the audience: does the statement reach only the relevant journalists and citizens, or is it publicly archived on the website? Fourth, the retention: how long will the statement remain online? The AVG requires that data is not kept longer than necessary.

That module product from this Dutch platform, at EUR 2,700 (no period stated on the product pages, read 1 September 2026), helps municipalities handle journalists' follow-up questions, but the municipality must set its own retention policy. The hosted newsroom product, at EUR 1,750 (no period stated on the product pages, read 1 September 2026), allows the municipality to host press statements on its own domain, which gives it control over when to remove or archive older statements.

The municipality should also check if the statement contains special categories of data (such as health or political opinions), which have stricter rules.

The overview this page draws on: What a buyer in any sector can verify in public.