Exhibit 12.1  CERTIFICATION
OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002   I, Frans H.J. Koffrie, certify that:  1.I
have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Buhrmann NV (the
registrant);  2.Based
on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report;  3.Based
on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information
included in this annual report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as
of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;  4.The
registrants other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing
and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:  a.Designed such disclosure controls and
procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by
others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
annual report is being prepared;  b.Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants
disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this annual report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures,
as of the end of the period covered by this annual report based on such
evaluation; and  c.Disclosed in this annual report any change in
the registrants internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
the period covered by this annual report that has materially affected, or is
reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrants internal control over
financial reporting; and  5.The
registrants other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most
recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the
registrants auditors and the audit committee of the registrants board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):   a.All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably
likely to adversely affect the registrants ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial information; and  b.Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in the registrants internal
control over financial reporting.  1 
   Dated: June 21, 2004/s/ Frans H.J. KoffrieFrans H.J. KoffrieChief Executive Officer  2 
   CERTIFICATION
OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002   I, Floris F. Waller, certify that:  1.I
have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Buhrmann NV (the
registrant);  2.Based
on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report;  3.Based
on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information
included in this annual report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as
of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;  4.The
registrants other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing
and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act
Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:  a.Designed such disclosure controls and
procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by
others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
annual report is being prepared;  b.Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants
disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this annual report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures,
as of the end of the period covered by this annual report based on such
evaluation; and  c.Disclosed in this annual report any change in
the registrants internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
the period covered by this annual report that has materially affected, or is
reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrants internal control over
financial reporting; and   5.The
registrants other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most
recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the
registrants auditors and the audit committee of the registrants board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):   a. All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably
likely to adversely affect the registrants ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial information; and  b.Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in the registrants internal
control over financial reporting.  Dated: June 21, 2004  3 
   /s/ Floris F. WallerFloris F. WallerChief Financial Officer  4