ESTA OUTREACH IN THE NETHERLANDS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMSTERDAM 000035

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR CA/VO/F/P JBRENNAN CA/EX JSAVAGE EUR/WE TSMITH,
EUR/PPD, CA/P
DHS FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
CBP FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS CMGT PREL KPAO PGOV NL
SUBJECT: ESTA OUTREACH IN THE NETHERLANDS

REF: STATE 58479


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Since the June 3 announcement of the DHS
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program,
Consulate General Amsterdam and colleagues at the U.S. Embassy
in The Hague have conducted extensive ESTA outreach activities.
We have developed an action plan to continue to reach out to key
stakeholder groups and the public in the run up to both
voluntary and mandatory implementation. At a recent meeting at
the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consulate officials
briefed representatives from several Dutch ministries, addressed
concerns and requested assistance publicizing ESTA with the
Dutch traveling public. The Consulate General is developing
plans to adjust visa operations to meet an anticipated increase
in demand for visas due to ESTA. END SUMMARY.

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All Hands Effort
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2. (U) On June 3, following release of public information
regarding ESTA, Consulate General Amsterdam initiated outreach
activities to maximize publicity regarding the ESTA program in
advance of implementation. The Consul General discussed ESTA
with Foreign Ministry, airline, airport and travel industry
officials and has forwarded to them the approved public affairs
materials. The CBP attachi also briefed key contacts at
Schiphol International Airport connected with CBP's
International Advisory Program there. The Consulate General's
website has included information about the ESTA program on its
home page, including information in Dutch, since June 3 and we
continue to update this information as additional materials have
arrived. On June 6, the Consul General discussed ESTA with an
audience of 150 expats, noting that they all have a connection
to Dutch travelers through personal relationships or their work
and asking them to spread the word. All officers have taken
opportunities at public events throughout the summer to
publicize ESTA and will continue to do so. We have notified our
call center of the upcoming ESTA requirements and at present
callers seeking information about ESTA are directed to the DHS
ESTA website for more information. DHS's tear sheets are
available in the visa and American citizens services waiting
rooms.


3. Public affairs staff at the Embassy in The Hague have
reached out to travel and other journalists and will continue to
do so. US FCS staff have reached out to their extensive list of
travel industry contacts since the beginning of June to ensure
that the travel industry has the latest information and is
spreading the word within this key community. FCS is also
tracking travel publications where ESTA information appears.

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MFA Briefing
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4. (U) Consul General, Visa Chief and DHS CBP Acting Attachi
conducted a briefing of 20 GONL officials on July 15 organized
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The briefing was
chaired by the Deputy Head of the North America Desk and and
included representatives from the MFA's Western Hemisphere
Division, the Director General's office, the Office of European
Affairs, Travel Office, Human Trafficking Office, Maritime and
Transport Office, Consular Affairs Division and Internal Affairs
Division. An official from the Prime Minister's office, and a
Dutch travel industry representative were also there. Consul
General provided background information on the purpose of the
ESTA program, gave a timeline for implementation and explained
how the program will be implemented and publicized. The Visa
Chief explained how ESTA will affect diplomatic and official
travelers, and briefed on how the Consulate General plans to
accommodate travelers refused authorization under the ESTA
program.


5. (SBU) MFA representatives expressed concerns about privacy
protections under ESTA and other security initiatives. One
official from the Western Hemisphere Division asked "Where does
this all end - first PNR, now ESTA, what's next?" Others
expressed concern about collecting health and other information
on travelers, asserting that individuals who are HIV positive
are unfairly stigmatized by questions on the current I-94W and
ESTA forms. Several MFA representatives wanted to know how the
ESTA applicant information would be shared; with whom and for
what purpose. Consul General explained the privacy protections

AMSTERDAM 00000035 002 OF 002


included in ESTA and noted that the goal of ESTA is to modernize
and enhance the security of the VWP. One MFA official responded
that the Dutch will discuss their concerns regarding ESTA and
privacy within the European Union and that she expects some
members of the Dutch Parliament and EU Parliament to raise
concerns.


6. (SBU) ESTA funding concerns were also expressed by the MFA.
One official stated that he understood that ESTA was not funded
and asked how the program could succeed without sufficient
financial resources. We reassured those present that DHS has
the necessary technology and staffing in place to accommodate
the large number of VWP travelers using ESTA. Another MFA
representative asked if there are plans to begin charging for
the ESTA application. Consul General responded that at this
time there are no plans to charge a fee for ESTA and that once
the program is operational fee collection policies may be
reconsidered. Other than concerns about privacy under the ESTA
program, reaction from the MFA was muted with few clarifying
questions asked. Among the questions posed to and answered by
the Consul General were:
- What percentage of current VWP travelers will not be approved
under ESTA and among those who are approved, how many will be
stopped upon entry to the U.S.?
- Will ESTA applicants be given the reason they are not approved
for travel?
- How will ESTA requirements affect diplomatic or official
travel visa requirements?
- Will additional questions, beyond what is now on the I-94 form
be asked by ESTA?
- What mechanisms will be put into place to prevent hackers or
system abuse?


7. (SBU) Consul General solicited ideas on ways to publicize the
ESTA program in advance of January's mandatory implementation
date, requesting that the MFA publicize ESTA on the MFA's
website with its travel advice for its citizens. A MFA
representative committed to pursuing this.

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Outreach Before and After August 1
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8. (U) Consulate General, DHS and the Embassy's PAS and FCS plan
future outreach and publicity activities. The ESTA program will
be featured during annual vacation and immigration fairs that
reach well over 130,000 people throughout The Netherlands.
Media interviews continue to be sought by the PAS. FCS is in
close contact with local leadership of the See America
Foundation, which is an essential resource to Dutch travel
agencies and provides substantial information on changes to U.S.
entry requirements. We are sending diplomatic notes explaining
ESTA to all Embassies and Consulates from other VWP countries
represented in The Netherlands and will include this information
in our regular consular newsletters. We will continue to keep
the Department apprised of our additional outreach efforts as
they occur.

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Visa Workload
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9. (SBU) Consulate General visa operations and policies are
under review for probable change. Because the impact of ESTA on
visa demand is unknown, the Consulate General visa section will
plan to build in increased flexibility and work closely with the
call center on the information it provides to those refused ESTA
authorization. The current visa workload already strains
existing facilities and staffing and we are concerned that about
the impact of a significant increase in the demand for visas -
particularly on an urgent basis. We will also craft our public
materials to help manage public expectations.


10. (SBU) COMMENT: Industry response to ESTA has been muted,
with several airline officials commenting that the program
appears to be a welcome improvement over the outdated,
paper-based I-94W. Mainstream media interest in ESTA has been
so far been minimal and both the Consulate and the Embassy are
working to generate press coverage, particularly among travel
editors and journalists. END COMMENT.
AMES