The National Contact Point for OECD Guidelines (NCP) handles a complaint from the trade union FNV about tax avoidance by the American oil and gas company Chevron.
FNV submitted the complaint to the NCP 2.5 years ago. This institution checks whether companies adhere to the guidelines of the OECD, the organization of mainly western industrial countries, on corporate social responsibility.
FNV chairman Tuur Elzinga expects a “firm final judgment” from the NCP and realizes that such a judgment does not help much. “The NCP cannot impose a penalty, and Chevron has walked off the table during discussions in the complaints procedure. That shows that Chevron is evading its responsibility.”
Elzinga, therefore, sees more benefit in new legislation that puts an end to such practices. “That is necessary because the Netherlands is still a tax haven where the avoidance billions are handed to multinationals on a silver platter.”
According to FNV, multinationals from all kinds of countries avoid tax per second through Dutch letterbox companies.