The Netherlands is to get a central register listing shareholders in limited companies in order to help reduce financial crime, justice minister Ivo Opstelten has said in a briefing to parliament.

Currently, investigators spend a lot of time finding out who is behind limited companies and other complicated financial constructions, the minister said.
‘A safe and fraud-proof trading climate will benefit from the setting up of a central shareholders register,’ Opstelten is quoted as saying by news agency ANP.
Overview
At the moment shareholdings are collected by a variety of sources but there is no complete overview and not all the information is accessible to the government, Opstelten said.
The register would not be public. Only government organisations and investigators, the police, security services and public prosecution department would have access.
ANP says the Labour party, which partners Opstelten’s VVD in the new cabinet, has been considering a similar move.
Is this a good idea or will it infringe on people’s privacy? Have your say using the comment form below.