Wilhelmus Adrianus Franciscus Gabriël "Willem" Vermeend (born 21 December 1948) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA), academic, author and businessman. His academic career has varied between specialising in tax law, European law, and digital economy. As an author, he has published over a dozen books. Subjects include politics and economics.

Willem Vermeend
Willem Vermeend in 2016
Member of the Social and
Economic Council
In office
15 January 2004 – 1 September 2010
ChairmanHerman Wijffels
(2004–2006)
Alexander Rinnooy Kan
(2006–2010)
Minister of Social Affairs
and Employment
In office
24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002
Prime MinisterWim Kok
Preceded byKlaas de Vries
Succeeded byAart Jan de Geus
State Secretary for Finance
In office
22 August 1994 – 24 March 2000
Prime MinisterWim Kok
Preceded byMarius van Amelsvoort
Succeeded byWouter Bos
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
23 May 2002 – 26 July 2002
In office
19 May 1998 – 3 August 1998
In office
19 June 1984 – 22 August 1994
Parliamentary groupLabour Party
Personal details
Born
Wilhelmus Adrianus Franciscus Gabriël Vermeend

(1948-12-21) 21 December 1948 (age 76)
Zuilen, Netherlands
Political partyLabour Party
(from 1972)
Residence(s)Heerlen, Netherlands
Alma materUniversity of Groningen
(Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
Leiden University
(Doctor of Law)
OccupationPolitician · Jurist · Economist · Researcher · Businessman · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Political pundit · Columnist · Author · Professor

Education and academic career

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Vermeend attended a Gymnasium in Groningen from March 1961 until April 1972 and applied at the University of Groningen in May 1972 majoring in Tax law and obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree in June 1972 before graduating with a Master of Laws degree in July 1975. Vermeend worked as a researcher at the Leiden University from July 1975 until April 1977 and as an associate professor of Tax law at the Leiden University from April 1977 until June 1984 and got a doctorate as a Doctor of Law in March 1983. Vermeend also returned as a visiting professor of Tax law at the University of Groningen from 1 January 1991 until 22 August 1994 and as a visiting professor of European Tax law at the University of Limburg from 1 April 1991 until 1 August 1993.

After retiring from politics, Vermeend also served as a distinguished professor of Tax law at the Leiden University from 1 August 2002 until 1 May 2004 and a distinguished professor of European law at the Maastricht University from 1 May 2004 until 1 September 2010 and a distinguished professor of Tax law at the Maastricht University from 1 January 2006 until 1 September 2010 and Vermeend has been a distinguished professor of Digital economy at the Open University in Heerlen since 1 January 2014.

Political career

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Vermeend became a Member of the House of Representatives after Schelto Patijn was appointed as Queen's Commissioner of South Holland, taking office on 19 June 1984 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Social security and Kingdom Relations. After the election of 1994 Vermeend was appointed as State Secretary for Finance in the Cabinet Kok I, taking office on 22 August 1994. After the election of 1998 Vermeend returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 19 May 1998. Following the cabinet formation 1998 Vermeend continued as State Secretary for Finance in the Cabinet Kok II, taking office on 3 August 1998. Vermeend was appointed as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment following the appointed of Klaas de Vries as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, taking office on 24 March 2000. The Cabinet Kok II resigned on 16 April 2002 following the conclusions of the NIOD report into the Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian War and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. After the election of 2002 Vermeend again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 23 May 2002. The Cabinet Kok II was replaced by the Cabinet Balkenende I following the cabinet formation of 2002 on 22 July 2002 and he continued to serve in the House of Representatives until his resignation on 26 July 2002.

Retirement from politics, private sector work

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Vermeend retired from national politics and became active in the private sector and public sector and occupied numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards (Mitsubishi Motors Europe, Randstad NV, AFAB Company, Royal Imtech N.V., Rotra Company, Free Record Shop, DSM Company, Maison van den Boer, Meeùs Group, Society for Statistics and Operations Research, SEO Economic Research and the Energy Research Centre) and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government (Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis and the Social and Economic Council). Vermeend also worked as a trade association executive for the Industry and Employers confederation serving as Vice Chairman of the Executive Board from January 2004 until September 2010.

Publications

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Vermeend is also a prolific author, having written more than a dozen books since 2002 about business, economics, finance, politics, tax law and computer security.[1][2][3][4][5]

Decorations

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Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
  Officer of the Order of Oranje-Nassau Netherlands 10 December 2002

References

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  1. ^ Schrama, Geerten J. I.; Sedlacek, Sabine (2003). Environmental and technology policy in Europe: technological innovation and policy integration. Springer. pp. 138–. ISBN 978-1-4020-1583-0. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  2. ^ "Prof. Willem Vermeend". Archived from the original on 9 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Stoppen met windmolens". 25 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Stocks".[dead link]
  5. ^ "Vermeend, Willem". Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
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Official
Political offices
Preceded by State Secretary for Finance
1994–2000
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Social Affairs
and Employment

2000–2002
Succeeded by