The museum card must share the details of the holder with the tax authorities

The Museum Card Foundation must share the data of a cardholder with the tax authorities. The right to privacy must give way to "the general interest of a correct taxation," decided the judge in Amsterdam Thursday.

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In March 2017, the tax authorities requested data from the cardholder since 2014. The tax authorities investigated the place of residence to determine whether the holder of the card in question was required to pay taxes. The foundation, which has about 1.35 million cardholders and 400 affiliated museums, refused to answer. This would violate the privacy of cardholders and negatively impact the sale of museum cards and museum visits.

The judge finds it "reasonably plausible" that cardholder data could be tax-relevant. How many times and what museums will a visit, can indicate where the person lives. According to the judge, it is "insufficiently proven" that sharing the history of visits will result in a decrease in card sales.

The Museum Card Foundation must therefore cooperate fully and unconditionally with the investigation of the tax authorities. Data must be provided within 14 days; the court imposed a fine of 5,000 euros for each day of delay.