The Ethics Committee for Legal and Criminological Research (CERCO) was established to ensure that scientific research which involves ethical aspects is conducted in an ethical manner. The CERCO uses its ethical guidelines to check proposed research of staff members and students of the Faculty of Law. These guidelines are set out in the document entitled “Ethics Guidelines” (only available in Dutch). Also a Memo (in English) is available that provides information on CERCO and the ethical aspects that are assessed. The committee also has an ambit to judge complaints from people who have participated in such a study.

The committee consists of the following members: Luigi Corrias, Vincent Geeraets, Joke Harte (chair), Geeske Ruitenberg, Mijke de Waardt, Frank Weerman and Marleen Weulen Kranenbarg. 

Researchers who wish to have their research proposal assessed by the CERCO must include the following: 

• Description of the study
• Respondent information and informed consent form
• Respondent recruitment material (including information leaflets, advertising texts)
• Questionnaires or topics list semi-structured interview
• Confidentiality statement researchers
• Information about insurance and liability (if applicable)

Researchers are expected to use this template to submit a research proposal to the Ethics Committee. This template contains all the elements on which the Commission needs information in order to give an advise. In the case of a PhD research proposal, the supervisor is responsible for submitting the research proposal. 

Only intended research and complete applications will be discussed by the Committee. Please submit the application, including attachments, in one PDF file.

Here you can find an example for the Informed Consent Form.

The Committee meets once a month, on the last Tuesday of the month, with the exception of July and December (see meeting dates 2025 below). Proposals must be sent a week in advance to Sara Aliar via s.a.aliar@vu.nl, in order to be discussed.

• January 27
• February 24
• March 24
• April 21
• May 26
• June 23
• August 25
• September 29
• October 27
• November 24

Respondents in research have the opportunity to submit a complaint to the CERCO, see “Ethics Guidelines” article 3.3 (only in Dutch). Complaints may be submitted to the secretary of the CERCO, Sara Aliar.