The fiscal affairs chief at the finance ministry and her deputy are both leaving at the same time, the Financieele Dagblad says on Friday.

Fiscal affairs director general Angelique Berg is moving to the top health ministry job while  Edwin Visser, who also heads the direct taxation department, is joining accountancy group PwC.

They, and two other department directors, were leading a project to overhaul the tax system and Visser has been closely involved in negotiations on international corporate tax avoidance, the FD says.

The paper does not comment on the fact he is becoming a partner at one of the big accountancy groups at the centre of tax avoidance allegations.

Undesirable

However, Christian Democrat MP Pieter Omtzigt described the move as ‘undesirable’ and called for a ‘cooling off period’ before senior civil servants are allowed to take jobs at private consultancies.

Visser himself is quoted as saying by the FD that ‘multinational companies increasingly need advice about their tax strategy’.

‘International developments are likely to lead to an increase in tax disputes between countries,’ he said. ‘I will be responsible at a national level for tax controversies and dispute resolutions.’

The finance ministry told the FD the departure of two senior officials at the start of the tax reform process is an ‘unfortunate coincidence’. Government policy is to move senior officials every five to seven years.

The spokesman told the FD that the work will continue with ‘energy and expertise’ and that Van Berg and Visser would be ‘warmly’ remembered.