As an employee in Civil Aviation Security, you need a Certificate of Conduct (VOG) or Certificate of No Objection (VGB). We as a training institute must also take this into account in our training sessions. Therefore, we ask all training participants to present a valid VOG or VGB. All the ins and outs at a glance.
Safety first
Aviation is an industry in which safety and reliability are paramount. Therefore, as an employee with access to secure air cargo, you must be able to demonstrate that:
– you have not committed any criminal offenses in your life (by means of a Certificate of Conduct (VOG))
and/or
– That confidential information is safe with you (through a Certificate of No Objection (VGB)).
Depending on your position, you must be able to show either document before employment begins.
Also required at training sessions
To do this work, you must also be trained and have the proper certifications. For that, of course, you come to Special Cargo College. We offer all required training in Civil Aviation Security. So for example, do you do a training course Employee Air Cargo or Security Manager Airport Supplies, then you must show a VOG or VGB before the training begins. The instructor will check this VOG/VGB. If you are unable to produce the VOG/VGB, unfortunately….: then the NCTV and the KMar oblige us to refuse you as a course participant. So make sure you have these things in order!
VOG versus VGB
A VOG is an official document issued by the Justis Department of the Ministry of Justice and Security in the Netherlands. For this, Justis screens your judicial past: have you been convicted in the past of offenses that may be relevant to your job? Obviously, if the answer is “yes,” you will not receive a VOG. The screening usually takes several days.
A VGB is issued by the AIVD (General Intelligence and Security Service). This screening takes longer – up to eight weeks – and assesses your suitability to access confidential information.
Transition period
When do you need a VGB, and when will a VOG suffice? As of May 1, 2022, the VGB is required at your location (Known Sender or Approved Agent) for positions of trust such as Air Cargo A or B Clerk, Air Cargo Controller, Security Manager or Supervisor, who have unescorted access to secure air cargo. But there is a transition period, during which unescorted entry is still allowed for the time being with a VOG issued before May 1, 2022. It can then still be used for this purpose until no later than June 30, 2024 (or earlier, if the expiration date is reached). After that, a VGB is required. The VGB is valid for five years and the VOG has been valid for three years since Jan. 1, 2022. For our Civil Aviation Security courses, the VOG remains a valid entry document. So now and in the future!
For our Civil Aviation Security courses, the VOG remains a valid entry document. So now and in the future!
Apply for VOG
There are several ways to apply for a VOG. The Justis website has all the information you need. If you do the application yourself, you do have to go by the town hall. If your employer initiates the VOG, a visit to City Hall is not necessary. If you do not live in the Netherlands, the application goes directly to Justis. This does require a Dutch background screening.
Background research
For the VOG, a “standard background check” is conducted. That consists of:
- Verification of employee’s ID (by employer)
- Career check for the previous five years. Is it true AND what is your opinion on possible interruptions of 28 days or longer? (by the employer)
- Criminal record check (by Justis)
For the VGB, a “comprehensive background check” takes place. This consists of the same components, supplemented by an information survey of the employee (by AIVD)
Driver positions
The only exception in Civil Aviation Security is the driver of a Fixed Carrier. This one does not need to have a VGB and a VOG will suffice. But please note that the driver of an Approved Agent does need to have a VGB.
For employers
On July 1, 2024, the new rules go into effect. As an employer, you must then have a number of things in place:
- Any employee working with secure air cargo (physical or through information) must have a VGB applied for;
- As the party responsible for access to the secure area, the employer is the party that conducts (some of) the comprehensive background screening itself and (some of) the background screening itself;
- Should you revoke an employee’s access rights to secure air cargo, the VGB must be signed off with the AIVD.
