Corporate Criminal Liability in the Netherlands

Keulen, Berend F.; Gritter, Erik

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-0674-3_6

Corporate Criminal Liability in the Netherlands

Berend F. Keulen³ &
Erik Gritter³

Chapter
First Online: 01 January 2011

2006 Accesses
4 Citations

Part of the book series: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice ((IUSGENT,volume 9))

Abstract

This report will provide a brief overview of the concept of corporate criminal liability in the Netherlands. Following a description of the historic development of this concept, attention will be paid to the substantive law regarding corporate liability – including the concept of secondary liability and defenses – and to specific rules for the trial and the punishment of legal persons. Special attention will also be paid to the position in Dutch criminal law of the public law legal person, such as the provinces. The report will be completed with a short evaluation of the concept of corporate criminal liability in the Netherlands.

Contents

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter: USD 29.95; Price excludes VAT (USA)

eBook: USD 189.00; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Softcover Book: USD 249.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Hardcover Book: USD 249.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

1.
See, for a more extensive treatment of the subject, Gritter 2007. For a recent treatise in English, see De Doelder 2008.
2.
In this chapter, the words “corporation” and “legal person” will be used as synonyms, although not every legal person in Dutch criminal law is necessarily a corporation.
3.
Gritter 2007, 33 et seq.
4.
In particular, bestuurders and commissarissen (managing directors and supervisory directors).
5.
Official Parliamentary Documents 1947/48, 603.3, 19.
6.
Official Parliamentary Documents 1947/48, 603.3, 19.
7.
Official Parliamentary Documents 1947/48, 603.3, 19.
8.
De Hullu 2009, 163. Some scholars tend to restrict the scope of art. 51 DPC by excluding offenses of a more physical nature, such as rape. In our opinion, a corporation can be criminally liable regardless of the nature of the offense. Whether a corporation in a particular case should be prosecuted for a more physical offense, like rape or battery, is another matter. (Please note that the Dutch prosecution service [Openbaar Ministerie] does not operate a system recognizing the principle of mandatory prosecution, meaning that the legality principle does not apply).
9.
The translation is an adaptation of the one used by De Doelder 2008, 566.
10.
In several cases, however, the prosecution service is bound by its own policy rules regarding this decision.
11.
Usually, the liability of the owner of a business is termed “vicarious liability”. In Dutch law, however, the question of liability of the owner always amounts to a question of whether the owner has himself committed the offense. See also below at 6.3.4.1.
12.
See Wolswijk 2007, 86.
13.
See DSC, December 16, 1986, Nederlandse Jurisprudentie (NJ) 1987, 322; DSC, December 16, 1986, NJ 1987, 322 (Slavenburg). See for an extensive analysis of art. 51(2) DPC, Wolswijk 2007, 81 et seq.
14.
DSC, January 27, 1948, NJ 1948, 197.
15.
DSC, February 23, 1993, NJ 1993, 605.
16.
DSC, February 23, 1954, NJ 1954, 378 (IJzerdraad).
17.
See DSC, July 1, 1981, NJ 1982, 80; DSC, January 14, 1992, NJ 1992, 413; DSC, November 13, 2001, NJ 2002, 219.
18.
DSC, October 21, 2003, NJ 2006, 328 (Drijfmest).
19.
The case concerned a misdemeanor that did not require proof of a mental element.
20.
Insofar as grounds for excuse or justification are absent; see below at 6.3.4.3.
21.
See for an example, DSC, October 15, 1996, NJ 1997, 109.
22.
See DSC, March 14, 1950, NJ 1952, 656.
23.
See for this effect of the defense of “lack of sufficient culpability”, De Hullu 2009, 169; Gritter 2007, 57.
24.
Court of Rotterdam, June 13, 2000, LJN: AA6189 (http://www.rechtspraak.nl).
25.
DSC, January 10, 1984, NJ 1984, 684.
26.
The EOA is not only applicable to legal persons: depending on the offense in question, a natural person can also commit an “economic offense”.
27.
Court of Appeal of Den Bosch, December 12, 2006, LJN: BH9824.
28.
Court of Middelburg, February 9, 2009, LJN: BH2342.
29.
For instance, DSC, October 2, 2007, NJ 2008, 550.
30.
DSC, April 17, 2007, NJ 2007, 248.
31.
See for a more extensive treatment of the special position of the public law legal person, Roef 2001.
32.
DSC, November 10, 1987, NJ 1988, 303.
33.
DSC, January 6, 1998, NJ 1998, 367.
34.
DSC, April 29, 2008, NJ 2009, 130.
35.
DSC, January 25, 1994, NJ 1994, 598.
36.
Official Parliamentary Documents 2007/08, 30 538.
37.
See for a more extensive treatment of the subject, Van Strien 1996.
38.
DSC, May 21, 2002, NJ 2002, 398.
39.
DSC, October 13, 1981, NJ 1982, 17.
40.
DSC, June 25, 1991, NJ 1992, 7.
41.
DSC, June 29, 2004, NJ 2005, 273.
42.
DSC, January 26, 1988, NJ 1988, 815.
43.
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as amended by Protocols No. 11 and 14, November 4, 1950, in force September 3, 1953, ETS No. 5.
44.
DSC, June 19, 2001, NJ 2001, 551.
45.
DSC, December 15, 1992, NJ 1993, 550.
46.
DSC, July 8, 2003, NJ 2003, 596.
47.
DSC, November 22, 1994, NJ 1995, 188.
48.
DSC, January 25, 2000, NJ 2000, 343.
49.
DSC, December 11, 1990, NJ 1991, 466.
50.
DSC, February 12, 1991, NJ 1991, 528.
51.
DSC, October 18, 1988, NJ 1989, 496.

References

De Doelder, H. (2008), ‘Criminal Liability of Corporations: A Dutch Update’, in: U. Sieber, G. Dannecker, U. Kindhäuser, J. Vogel und T. Walter (Hrsg.), Strafrecht und Wirtschaftsstrafrecht – Dogmatik, Rechtsvergleich, Rechtstatsachen, Köln/München, 563.
Google Scholar
De Hullu, J. (2009), Materieel strafrecht – Over algemene leerstukken van strafrechtelijke aansprakelijkheid naar Nederlands recht, 4th edn, Deventer.
Google Scholar
Gritter, E. (2007), ‘De strafbaarheid van de rechtspersoon’, in: J.B.J. van der Leij (ed.), Plegen en deelnemen, Deventer, 32.
Google Scholar
Roef, D. (2001), Strafbare overheden: Een rechtsvergelijkende studie naar strafrechtelijke aansprakelijkheid van overheden voor milieuverstoring, Antwerpen.
Google Scholar
Van Strien, A.L.J. (1996), De rechtspersoon in het strafproces. Een onderzoek naar de procesrechtelijke aspecten van de strafbaarheid van rechtspersonen, Den Haag.
Google Scholar
Wolswijk, H.D. (2007), ‘Feitelijk leiding geven en opdracht geven’, in: J.B.J. van der Leij (ed.), Plegen en deelnemen, Deventer, 81.
Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Berend F. Keulen (Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure) & Erik Gritter (Assistant Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure)

Authors

Berend F. Keulen
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Erik Gritter
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Berend F. Keulen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

, Faculty of Law, University of Basel, Peter Merian-Weg 8, Basel, 4002, Switzerland
Mark Pieth
, Faculty of Law, University of Basel, Peter Merian-Weg 8, Basel, 4002, Switzerland
Radha Ivory

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Keulen, B.F., Gritter, E. (2011). Corporate Criminal Liability in the Netherlands. In: Pieth, M., Ivory, R. (eds) Corporate Criminal Liability. Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0674-3_6

Download citation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0674-3_6
Published: 29 March 2011
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-0673-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0674-3
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics