Bibob Act

We use the Bibob Act to combat criminal activities and to safeguard the integrity of our administration. Read below what this law entails, when you may be affected and how the procedure works. 

What is the Bibob Act? 

The Bibob Act stands for "Promotion of integrity assessments by public administration. This administrative law instrument enables us to review (verify) and, if necessary, refuse or revoke permits, subsidies, government contracts and real estate transactions. 

With the Bibob Act, we want to prevent permits or other government decisions: 

  • are used to exploit benefits from criminal activities; 
  • be used to commit criminal offenses or when a reasonable suspicion exists that a criminal offense has been committed to obtain the permit applied for or issued. 

Through a Bibob investigation, we verify that an organization and its business circle act with integrity and do not pose criminal risks to our society. 

When will you have to deal with the Bibob Act? 

You may have to deal with the Bibob Act if you: 

  • apply for a permit; 
  • grant application; 
  • buildings or land to purchase from HHNK; 
  • applied for a tender with HHNK and was selected. 

A Bibob investigation may also be initiated based on signals that an applicant or his business circle may be involved in criminal offenses. This may mean that a new investigation is carried out for current applications or existing schemes. 

Procedure 

If your application is reviewed under the Bibob Act, we will ask you to complete a Bibob form and provide additional documents. These documents contain information about your company's financing and control structure, among other things. 

Based on this data: 

  1. we conduct a Bibob investigation; 
  2. we can seek advice from the National Bibob Bureau when in doubt; 
  3. you will be notified if there are additional questions.  

Depending on the survey results, there are four possible outcomes: 

  • No danger: The application is approved. 
  • Minor Hazard: Additional Requirements may be attached to the approval. 
  • Severe hazard: The application may be denied or an existing scheme may be withdrawn. 
  • Insufficient data: If the requested information is not provided, the application may be disregarded. 

How long does a Bibob test take? 

The Bibob test is performed within the time normally required for a permit or grant application. This varies by type of application.  

When we seek advice from the National Bibob Bureau, the processing time of the application can be extended by 8 to a maximum of 12 weeks. 

Policy Rule Bibob Act.  

HHNK's full Bibob policy is set out in the Policy Rule for the Application of the Bibob Act HHNK 2025.

Objection and appeal 

It is not possible to object to a Bibob investigation or a negative opinion from the National Bibob Bureau. Once the investigation or advice has been completed, the district water board will make a decision. You can object to this decision. You may also withdraw your application. In that case, the investigation will not be conducted. 

Learn more 

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