NS cuts its taxes by routing acquisitions and rentals through Ireland

The state-owned Dutch railway company NS cuts its taxes by routing the cost of new trains and their rental income through Ireland. NS paid EUR 11m in corporation tax in Ireland last year. Irish corporation tax is 12.5%, half the Dutch rate. From 1999 to 2012, NS had cut its Dutch tax bills by at least EUR 250m by routing the cost of new trains through Ireland. Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said in 2013 that the practice is ‘undesirable’ from society’s point of view and ‘should be ended’.