Dutch to go after tax cheats in Belgium, Germany, Poland

State Secretary Eric Wiebes of Finance sent the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, a series of measures intended to strengthen the recovery of surcharge debts abroad. He sent this along with the semi-annual report of the Tax Authorities. According to an inventory made by the Tax Authorities, since 2006 the amount of outstanding surcharge debts outside the country has run up to 168 million euros. Wiebes measures include sending another summons to everyone with outstanding surcharge debt living abroad. This involves more than 100 thousand people living in 189 different countries. The Tax Authorities will put extra effort into Germany, Poland and Belgium - the countries with the highest outstanding balances. The capacity of the National Collection Center will be expanded to bolster the recovery of these debts. There will also be a trial involving engaging the services of private collection agencies abroad. Outstanding surcharge debts in and outside the Netherlands are inherent to the benefit system in which advances are paid first and the legitimacy of the claim is only checked afterwards. "It is clear to me that these claims deserve more attention", Wiebes said. "This involves income support, paid with tax money. It requires an extraordinary effort to get the over-payment back."