The public prosecution department is currently investigating five potential cases of corruption involving Dutch companies operating abroad, Nos tv said at the weekend.



So far no companies have been taken to court, but this is because corruption abroad has only been a criminal offence in the Netherlands since 2001.

‘We have first had to build up expertise and international contacts because these are investigations which are largely focused abroad,’ justice ministry spokesman Ton Maan told the broadcaster.

Bribes

Research by Transparency International earlier this week suggests Dutch companies have paid millions of euros to win contracts abroad. And, says Nos, the OECD has criticised the Netherlands for not doing enough to combat bribery.

The Netherlands has fined several firms for corruption but this has all been based on investigations in the US. Nor are Dutch officials involved in the current investigation into corruption involving Shell, the Nos said.