The Dutch chamber of trade organisation (KvK) is to remove phone numbers from its public directories because they are being used for cold call marketing.

Four in 10 self-employed people consulted by the KvK said they are frequently bothered by telephone marketeers and in nearly four in five times, the approach is made by phone.

The KvK has said it will now remove phone details from the public registers but not from official listings which have to be paid for.

The KvK came under fire earlier this year for selling information about small firms and the self-employed to third parties for advertising purposes. The privacy watchdog AFM is currently assessing if this practice is legal.