Politicians knew, or at least could have known, about the tax deal made with Shell about dividend tax payments. The deal has been discussed when the agreement was being made and has even been discussed again at the end of last year during a hearing in the 'Tweede Kamer'.
Previously, there was no controversy about the deal. Today, however, the opposition is criticizing the deal as it is supposed to have cost the Dutch treasury more than 7 billion euros. Professor Fiscal Economics Peter Kavelaars explains this by the fact that tax rulings generally do not receive much publicity. However, it is only the question whether that can be justified. 'Many tax rulings are so complex, that only a few people are willing to spend their time on understanding the agreements made', says Professor Kavelaars.
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Read the entire article (in Dutch) in the Volkskrant of 26 June, 2018.