Netherlands blocks beneficial owner public register with immediate effect after ECJ judgement

The Dutch finance ministry has told the Chamber of Commerce to close off a register which allows people to find out who owns companies to outsiders, following the European court ruling on Tuesday.   Wieger ten Hove, partner at law firm Eversheds Sutherland International, said in a briefing note yesterday (23 November) that there could be major implications for UBO-registers throughout the EU, after the European Court of Justice ruled on 22 November that registers should be closed to the general public, but remain open to the tax office and financial fraud investigators.  "The Court ru...