Public hearings of the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into COVID-19 to begin
At a recent press conference, Daan de Kort, chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into COVID-19, announced the names of several witnesses who will be heard in public in the coming period. He also listed the key topics to be addressed during each week of hearings. The hearings are scheduled to begin on 29 May 2026.
The hearings will be conducted by the five members of the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into COVID-19: Daan de Kort (VVD - chair), Songül Mutluer (Green Left-Labour Party - deputy chair), Dion Huidekooper (D66), André Poortman (CDA), and Annelotte Lammers (Group Markuszower).
Witnesses
The first witness to be called is Marion Koopmans, professor of virology. She is due to appear before the committee on 29 May at 10.00 hours. Next up at 14.00 hours is Bruno Bruins, former Minister for Health Care and Sport. Other witnesses called for questioning include former Prime Minister Mark Rutte, former Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Hugo de Jonge, former Minister of Justice and Security Ferd Grapperhaus, and Jaap van Dissel, former director of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and chairperson of the Outbreak Management Team during the pandemic.
A total of 51 hearings have been scheduled, for which 47 witnesses have been called, some of whom will be heard twice. Every Friday, after the last hearing, a list of witnesses to be heard the following week will be published on the House of Representatives' website.
Topics
The committee will be questioning witnesses over a period of nine weeks. Hearings will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Each week, the hearings will focus on a specific topic, as follows: the start of the pandemic (week 1), the response to COVID-19 (week 2), the impact on healthcare (week 3), school closures (week 4), the curfew and civil unrest (week 5), and the COVID certificate and vaccination (week 6).
Public hearings will continue until 10 July, the first week of the summer recess. The committee will resume its work on 24 August. In the final weeks, its focus will be on the role of the House of Representatives (week 7), and on political governance in times of a pandemic (weeks 8 and 9). The final hearing is currently scheduled for Thursday 10 September.
About the committee
The Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into COVID-19 aims to gain a better understanding of the actions taken by the government during the coronavirus crisis and the reasons behind them. It will also examine the role and functioning of the House of Representatives. Ultimately, the goal is to build on the experiences from this crisis in order to be better prepared for any future crises. The committee plans to present its final report to the House in the first quarter of 2027.