Over the past sixty years, the extraction of natural gas in the Groningen area, once seen as a success story, has become a highly divisive issue. There was a time when natural gas played a key role in the Netherlands' energy supply, while also generating a substantial amount of income for the country. At present, however, the debate is largely centered around the downsides of the long-term extraction, namely earthquakes and the suffering they bring to communities in the Groningen region. How has it come to this? The parliamentary committee of inquiry into the extraction of natural gas in Groningen was installed by the House of Representatives on 9 February 2021 to carry out an in-depth investigation into the decision-making process surrounding the extraction of natural gas in the Groningen region, the earthquakes, the handling of damage claims and the reinforcement of houses in the area. Here, you will find basic information on the parliamentary committee of inquiry and its members, on the inquiry itself and its planning. The rapport of the committee of inquiry was presented tot the House of Representatives on 24 February 2023.
