Opposition parties in the Netherlands have tabled a radical proposal to strengthen national cyber resilience: the creation of a free, government-supported “basic digital security package” with VPN, available to every citizen. The proposal, submitted on March 2, 2026 by MPs Barbara Kathmann (GroenLinks-PvdA) and Don Ceder (ChristenUnie), argues that basic digital protection has become too complicated for the average user.
See also: IPVanish VPN for macOS: Vulnerability allows privilege escalation
Politicians are calling on the government to work with Dutch tech companies to develop a standardized set of tools that would include “at a minimum” a VPN service, antivirus software, ad blockers and password management tools. The proposal comes after high-profile security failures in the Netherlands, specifically citing the recent “Odido data leak” and a breach that occurred in August 2025 involving “population screening for cervical cancer.”
In the text of the proposal, MEPs state that “people often do not know what they can do to protect themselves online” after such breaches. They argue that a publicly offered security package is necessary to make cybersecurity “accessible to people regardless of their digital skills or income.” If approved, this initiative would essentially treat privacy tools as public infrastructure of general interest rather than luxury commercial products.
The proposal explicitly calls on the government to “develop a basic digital security package with accessibility as a starting point.” This addresses a common criticism of the current cybersecurity market: while effective tools exist, they are often fragmented, expensive, or too technical for non-tech-savvy users to set up.
See also: Russia fines Google 22.8 million rubles over VPN
By grouping these four specific tools, the proposal covers the main bases of personal security:
- VPN: Encrypts connection data to protect privacy.
- Password Manager : Prevents credential abuse by creating and storing unique logins.
- Ad Blocker: Stops malicious scripts and tracking.
- Antivirus: The traditional line of defense against malware.
MPs have asked the government to periodically report on the progress of this “digital first aid kit” through Digitisation updates.
The Dutch proposal represents a proactive, user-oriented approach that stands in stark contrast to recent legislative trends in neighboring countries. While the Netherlands is discussing providing free encryption tools to citizens, Denmark recently considered banning them. In December 2025, the Danish government proposed banning VPNs in an effort to curb illegal streaming.
See also: Spain: NordVPN and ProtonVPN urged to block “pirate LaLiga sites”
This proposal faced fierce resistance from security professionals who argued that it would compromise the security of legitimate users. The Danish government eventually withdrew the controversial ban after a public backlash.
