Recording Guidelines for journalists

Within the context of free newsgathering, accredited journalists are permitted to photograph, film and make recordings in both the semi-public and the secured section of the House of Representatives. This must involve parliamentary reporting or explaining parliamentary and political events. In these guidelines, the term recording is used to describe all types of sound and/image recording, including photography.

The recording guidelines for journalists (hereinafter: the recording guidelines) are based on the principle of free news gathering while also ensuring that public representatives and civil servants can carry out parliamentary work in a proper way.

The recording guidelines were adopted on 14 November 2018 by the Presidium of the House of Representatives, which is authorised to do so in accordance with Article 152 of the Rules of Procedure. In any cases not covered by the recording guidelines, the Presidium will decide on the procedure to be followed.

1. General

1.1     The buildings of the House of Representatives may only be used for recordings intended for parliamentary and political reporting or to explain parliamentary and political events.

1.2     Staged situations are not permitted.

1.3     It is prohibited to make recordings of the documents, telephones, tablets, etc. of MPs, ministers and civil servants in such a way that the information on them is readable.

1.4     Exceptions to these guidelines are possible with permission from the Communications Department only.

1.5     When making recordings, the accreditation provided by the Communications Department must be worn visibly at all times.

1.6     The instructions of House of Representatives officials must be followed at all times. The House of Representatives reserves the right to change or withdraw the facilities it provides at any time.

2. Rooms where recordings are not permitted

2.1. Recordings are not permitted in/on/from:

• box K
• the ministers’ room and the civil servants’ room
• the members’ restaurant (Ledenrestaurant)
• the Statenrestaurant
• the Pleinrestaurant
• the Statenlokaal
• the offices of the House of Representatives’ administrative staff
• the parliamentary groups’ rooms. Exceptions to this, with permission from MPs/parliamentary group representatives:
• - the former library of the Ministry of Justice (Handelingenkamer);
• - the Stadtholder’s Room (Stadhouderskamer), Writing Room (Schrijfkamer), Governors’ Room (Regentenkamer);
• - areas where security officers work and security equipment is set up in the House of Representatives;
• - the public and/or press galleries;
• - the lobby area (the semi-circular corridor behind the Plenary Hall). Exceptions to this are made for photographs only and permission must have been provided by all persons featured in the photograph before publication.

2.2     It is not permitted to make recordings of people present in the rooms listed in 2.1 from corridors or other positions. This also applies to rooms in which private (committee) meetings are taking place.

3. Recordings in the Plenary Hall during parliamentary sittings

3.1     Recordings are permitted in the Plenary Hall providing that:

         (1) they are made by accredited photographers/camera operators; and

         (2) the recordings do not disrupt the schedule of parliamentary sittings.

         The number of visual media representatives present during a sitting may be limited on the instructions of House of Representatives staff.

3.2     All recordings must be made as inconspicuously as possible.

3.3     When making recordings in the Plenary Hall, photographers and camera operators must remain out of sight and earshot of the President of the House of Representatives, MPs, ministers and clerks.

3.4     When making recordings in the Plenary Hall, photographers and camera operators are not permitted between the MPs’ seats, behind or between the government benches, behind the President’s chair or in the section where the parliamentary stenographers work.

3.5     It is prohibited to make recordings of the bench desks in the hall.

3.6     However, in the Plenary Hall, it is permitted to make recordings from the lobby corridors towards the hall.

3.7     The use of flash equipment and/or additional lighting is not permitted.

3.8     It is not permitted to take microphones (including radio-microphones, directional or boom microphones) etc. into the hall.

3.9     It is not permitted to use tripods in the hall and lobby area. As an exception to this, the use of monopods is permitted.

3.10   It is not permitted to make recordings in the Plenary Hall during votes. As an exception to this, recordings pointed towards the hall are permitted from the lobby corridors.

3.11   If camera operators or photographers are not making recordings, they must leave the hall and/or lobby area.

3.12   If the President of the House of Representatives announces that the sitting will be continued in private, any journalists present must immediately switch off recording equipment and leave the hall.

3.13   Reporters are not permitted to enter the Plenary Hall during the sitting. Having obtained permission from the Communications Department, reporters are permitted to record pieces to camera during adjournments.

4. Recordings in the Plenary Hall when no parliamentary sittings are taking place

4.1     When no parliamentary sittings are taking place, it is only possible to make recordings in the Plenary Hall after obtaining permission from the Communications Department.

4.2     If the permission referred to in Article 4.1 has been granted, it is only permitted to make recordings of/conduct interviews with MPs and/or ministers in the Plenary Hall. It is prohibited to sit in the President’s chair during these recordings/interviews.

5. Recordings in committee rooms during public meetings

5.1     It is only permitted to make recordings during public meetings in the committee rooms from a fixed position indicated by House of Representatives staff.

5.2     Where applicable, the same rules apply here as under 3 above, unless the chair of the meeting decides otherwise.

5.3     Different recording guidelines may apply for meetings of committees of inquiry.

6. Recordings in committee rooms when no meetings are taking place

6.1     When no meetings are taking place, recordings may only be made with the permission of the Communications Department.

6.2     If the permission referred to in Article 6.1 has been granted, it is only permitted to make recordings of/conduct interviews with MPs and/or ministers in the committee rooms.

7. Other recordings

7.1     It is not permitted to address MPs and/or ministers with live recording equipment without their permission (with the exception of 7.2). If MPs and/or ministers address the media after a sitting, recording is permitted as part of free newsgathering.

7.2     During the question time session and after votes, on Tuesday afternoon from 14:00, it is permitted to address MPs and/or ministers in the lobby using live recording equipment. If MPs and/or ministers object in advance to photographs/recordings and/or broadcast, this must be respected and any images/footage taken may not be made public.

7.3     Interviews and/or recordings are permitted in the corridors providing that this does not cause any obstruction.

7.4     It is not permitted to address House of Representatives officials with live recording equipment. This also applies to people working on the instructions of the House of Representatives, officials from other bodies, parliamentary group staff and the general public visiting the House of Representatives.

7.5     Access to rooms being used by parliamentary groups and permission to make recordings there can only be granted by the parliamentary groups (see also Art. 2.1). Journalists are not permitted to access or make recordings in the areas around the entrances to the parliamentary group rooms without the express permission of MPs or the parliamentary group representatives.

7.6     Interviews and/or recordings of guests/visitors being received by parliamentary committees and/or MPs are permitted in the Central Passageway only, or in rooms specifically designated for that purpose by the Communications Department.

7.7     It is permitted to make recordings of candidates standing for the House of Representatives, the European Parliament, the municipal council or the Provincial Council. These recordings are only permitted in the Central Passageway and, with permission, in the parliamentary group rooms.

7.8     Recordings of events (exhibitions, the presentation of petitions, etc.) are permitted in the Central Passageway.

7.9     Different recording guidelines may apply for recordings of events such as receptions for foreign delegations, lectures, book presentations, etc.

8. Commemorations

8.1.    During the silence commemorating the passing of deceased persons, it is not permitted to move around or do any work that makes a noise.

9. Observance and enforcement

9.1     These guidelines were issued by the Presidium, authorised to do so in accordance with Article 152 of the Rules of Procedure. Implementation is the responsibility of the Messenger Service, the Security Department and the Communications Department.

9.2     Failure to observe these guidelines may result in sanctions.

9.3     Any disputes should be put to the Secretary-General. A report will be issued to the Presidium.

9.4     In any cases not covered by the guidelines, the Presidium will decide on the procedure to be followed.