The Dutch State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Willemijn Aerdts, has blocked the planned takeover of IT company Solvinity by the American corporation Kyndryl. She made the decision following direct advice from the Bureau Toetsing Investeringen (BTI).
The BTI concluded that the acquisition posed a potential risk to the public interest. Aerdts then issued a full ban just as the companies prepared to finalise the deal. Aerdts emphasised to the House of Representatives that the investment screening, conducted under the Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies en overnames (WOZT), is strictly risk-based, country-neutral, and proportionate. She stated that the test aims solely to safeguard public security.
Political and legal resistance
A majority in the House of Representatives had strongly opposed the transaction. MPs feared that American authorities could legally compel Kyndryl to hand over sensitive Dutch data. Critics also launched legal challenges to block the acquisition. MPs across the political spectrum welcomed the ban, and representatives from the VVD, CDA, and SGP praised the cabinet for prioritizing national digital security.
Despite the widespread resistance to the takeover, State Secretary for Interior Affairs Eric van der Burg had extended the government’s contract with Solvinity by two years just last month. Logius, the government agency that operates DigiD, relies on Solvinity to run the underlying infrastructure. Van der Burg defended the extension as a necessary step to ensure operational continuity. However, he hailed Aerdts’s ultimate ban as an important step and reiterated that the secure use of DigiD remains the government’s highest priority. The cabinet will now maintain contact with Solvinity and its current owners regarding the future of the company.
@ anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
