By Sheila Turabaz.
The first few months of 2018 have already passed and thus Buren – an internationally oriented Dutch law firm based in The Hague’s diplomatic quarter – decided it was high time to update embassies and diplomatic missions in respect of the newest rules and regulations that have come into effect this year in the Netherlands.
Like previous year, the Crowne Plaza Hotel– adjacent to its office in The Hague – was the chosen venue for the annual legal seminar. Ambassadors and embassy diplomatic staff of African, Asian, European, Latin American and embassies from the Middle East participated in the seminar and engaged in discussions about various employment, corporate, commercial and tax law issues.
Dutch employment law was of particular interest, as evidenced by the many questions that were asked by the attendees. Suzan van de Kam, partner and employment lawyer gave a brief overview of legal matters that are a frequent topic of discussion, such as issues regarding locally recruited staff.
Furthermore, Peter van Dijk, partner and (tax) lawyer at Buren and Maja Bole, senior associate corporate law, succinctly explained the legal and tax aspects of doing business in the Netherlands by outlining the five main types of legal entities constituted under Dutch law, speaking about commercial contracting in the Netherlands and the (changing) landscape of litigation (e.g. the Netherlands Commercial Court: the establishment of a specialized commercial court to facilitate international business litigation) as well as tax measures proposed by the new Dutch government which are currently being implemented.
In addition, Jan Melissen, senior research fellow at the Clingendael Institute was invited to speak about digital diplomacy. Jan Melissen underlined the importance of this new phenomenon, stating: “diplomacy has become ‘societized’ (…) and digital technology has shifted from being anti-diplomacy to becoming the core business of diplomacy”.
Moreover, Ilja van Haaren, Executive Director at The Hague Business Agency, persuasively explained why entrepreneurs should invest and start their business in The Hague, substantiating her argument by providing examples of its attractive business climate, good living conditions, and innovative atmosphere in particular.
Afterwards, the attendees were invited for drinks and discussions at the reception.
Due to its convenient location in the heart of the diplomatic centre of the Netherlands and its well-established and good relations with various embassies, diplomatic missions, international organisations and knowledge institutions, Buren has developed an expertise in the field of international and diplomatic law and also offers a full range of legal services through its Diplomat Desk – Buren’s specialized practice area—, assisting diplomatic clients with issues regarding public and private law. On the 20th September of this year, Buren will be organizing several workshops on employment law, real estate law and all legal, corporate and tax aspects related to doing business in the Netherlands. These workshops are specifically designed for ambassadors and embassy staff.
For more information, please contact: m.loves@burenlegal.com
