The Dutch Government is to introduce tougher rules to control lobbying by former Ministers.
The debate over Ministers moving into the private sector came to a head earlier this year when Minister for Infrastructure, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen stepped down to chair the Energy Sector Association — a field in which she had considerable contacts as Minister.
Under present rules, Ministers are banned from lobbying in areas in which they had direct responsibility, but that is now being expanded to include all sectors in which they had active influence.
Minister for Home Affairs, Kajsa Ollongren told Parliament former Ministers would also be banned from commercial contracts with their former Departments for a two-year period.
“An independent commission is also being set up to advise on whether their new jobs are acceptable and within the rules,” Ms Ollongren (pictured) said.
The rules do not cover MPs who haven’t been Ministers, even though research by the Open State Foundation showed that almost one in five people leaving politics go to work as a lobbyist for the private sector.
One example is that of former MP, Helma Lodders who now heads the Livestock Transport Association and a new lobby group set up by the online gambling sector.
The Netherlands has been criticised by the Group of States Against Corruption, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body, for failing to meet any of its 16 recommendations, such as establishing a code of practice for Ministers and requiring them to declare their financial interests while in office.
Ms Ollongren said the recommendations would be incorporated into the new lobbying rules.
Amsterdam, 7 December 2021
