Search Results

ICC Netherlands Monthly Newsletter Stay Informed. Stay Connected. Stay Ahead. Published every first Tuesday of the month, the ICC Netherlands Newsletter brings you curated insights, updates, and engagement opportunities from across our national and global network. Enter your email* Subscribe I want to receive monthly newsletter and updates from ICC Netherlands. * What’s Inside? Geopolitical Insight Each edition features a sharp geopolitical update from an ICC member, external expert, or policy lead—helping you navigate today’s fast-changing international landscape. ICC Strategic Agenda in Action Track ICC’s global advocacy across five key priorities: Enabling Global Trade – Simplifying cross-border trade through trusted rules and practical tools. Promoting Access to Justice, Integrity & Rule of Law – Supporting good governance and commercial dispute resolution through the ICC Court of Arbitration. Accelerating Sustainability & Climate Action – Equipping business to lead in the green transition. Shaping a Digital Economy for All – Building open, inclusive, and secure digital markets. Strengthening Multilateral Cooperation – Advancing peace, prosperity and stability through international dialogue. Policy & Commission Work Stay informed on the work of ICC’s 12 global commissions—where experts help shape global standards, position papers, and regulatory guidance on topics such as trade, customs, taxation, competition, digital economy, environment, and more. Week of Integrity Follow updates on the annual Week of Integrity, led by ICC Netherlands, uniting the public and private sectors to promote transparency, ethics, and accountability in business and beyond. Upcoming Events Get a full overview of our key national and international events—from dispute resolution forums and global trade roundtables to policy dialogues and training sessions. For questions or contributions, contact us at info@icc.nl . Browse Past Editions

Discover how ICC drives sustainability in line with global goals. We support businesses in adopting sustainable practices, contributing to climate action, and navigating the path to a prosperous, eco-friendly future. Sustainable Development ICC delivers solutions that address the major shifts taking place in the world economy. Read the Commission fact sheet At ICC, we work every day to advance sustainability, to accelerate action on climate and nature and ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for all. We do this in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as UN climate and biodiversity agreements have created enormous opportunities for businesses willing to put sustainability at the heart of their operations. Putting sustainability first not only enables business to drive the transition to a better and more just world, it makes plain business sense. According to recent studies, sustainable business models could open economic opportunities worth at least US$12 trillion—creating up to 380 million jobs per year until 2030. But research has also shown that many companies, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, face challenges to integrate sustainability considerations into their operations and core business practices. While many businesses are already playing a leading role in promoting sustainable development, there is still some way to go in fully engaging the global business community in the 2030 challenge. Delivering fully on the promise of a more sustainable and prosperous future for all requires the right policies and incentives, effective tools and, most importantly a collaborative effort to enable the transformation of business practices towards sustainability more broadly—including within the small business sector. ICC continues to play a key role in contributing to international policymaking and leading international debate on the development of coherent policy frameworks, solutions and tools that enable and scale enhanced ambition and action and facilitate the transition to a sustainable, net-zero emissions and nature positive economy. This also includes helping to build an understanding within the SME community of the long-term commercial benefits of sustainable business practices. Climate Action Accelerating action on climate and nature to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for all. Read more Good Governance Responsible business conduct is the foundation of Sustainable business practices. Read more Human Rights Respect for human rights is a key vehicle through which business can help achieve the broader vision of peaceful and inclusive societies. Read more

Explore trainings Equip yourself with practical tools to navigate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) challenges in today’s business landscape. Read more WISE - Empowering women through strategic leadershiptraining, mentorship, and global networking. Read more Our events Sanctions & export controls in 2026 Fri 26 Jun Teams Staying compliant without stalling your business RSVP Leading with integrity in the age of agentic AI Tue 07 Jul TEAMS When AI starts to act on its own, integrity is what keeps someone responsible for the decision. RSVP A Talk with Máximo Torero Cullen Chief Economist - FAO Tue 07 Jul Online RSVP Tariffs in 2026: strategy beyond the headlines Fri 28 Aug Teams Buy Tickets ICC NL Young Practitioners - Paris Wed 09 Sept Location is TBD We are delighted to invite ICC Young Practitioners Netherlands members to a joint event in Paris with our colleagues from ICC UK, Belgium and Sweden, built around a visit to the ICC International Court of Arbitration. RSVP The EU Single Window for Customs: what the 2031 timeline means for Dutch trade Fri 11 Sept Teams Buy Tickets AI in trade compliance and operations: what is actually working Fri 25 Sept Teams Buy Tickets Integrity in international trade in a digital age: where leaders set the tone Fri 09 Oct Teams Buy Tickets Sustainability rules for international trade: from disclosure to due diligence (and the energy transition) Fri 23 Oct Teams Buy Tickets Sanctions screening at scale: how Dutch manufacturers automate compliance Fri 06 Nov Teams Buy Tickets Young Arbitration and ADR Forum (YAAF) Wed 11 Nov Houthoff Learn more Dispute Resolution Forum Thu 12 Nov Houthoff Guest speaker: Claudia Salomon Learn more IFRS for international trade: what CFOs and trade finance teams need to know in 2027 Fri 20 Nov Teams Buy Tickets Joint Arbitration Day Thu 03 Dec De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek RSVP Digital trade in practice: lessons from an interoperability project Fri 11 Dec Teams Buy Tickets

< Back Marieke Witkamp Marieke Witkamp LLC Arbitrator Biography Marieke Witkamp FCIArb is a Houston based international arbitrator with an LLM in Dutch and US Law and a Texas bar license. She also holds the CIArb Diploma in International Maritime Arbitration. Marieke has a unique professional background. She is originally trained as a commercial judge in the Netherlands and became an international commercial and arbitration lawyer after moving abroad to the United States and the Middle East. She dealt with ICC arbitrations as counsel in Qatar and worked as in-house counsel in the Dutch energy industry and the sports & entertainment industry of Qatar. She is therefore familiar with every perspective when it comes to dealing with disputes: as the court, as counsel and as the client. Working on 3 continents has also given her a proper understanding of the different expectations that parties may have in cross-border disputes. Marieke’s areas of expertise are maritime, insurance, construction, energy law and post M&A disputes but she is comfortable with almost any contractual dispute that comes up. As a judge she had to deal with anything that entered her docket - she is trained to familiarize herself with new types of commercial conflicts and legal issues in a short time. Marieke’s significant experience as an arbitrator includes sitting as sole arbitrator, emergency arbitrator, party and chair arbitrator in commercial disputes with seats in the US, UK and the Netherlands. Marieke is a hands-on arbitrator who takes her responsibility to start off a procedure in the best way possible. She will customize a procedure to the parties’ needs and will take the necessary decisions to keep a procedure on track. She is often asked as chair as she is very experienced in managing cases, leading hearings and writing fair and well-reasoned awards. Marieke frequently travels to the Netherlands/Benelux and will not charge for travel expenses. Contact Details Tomball, TX 77375, Verenigde Staten +18324586340 marieke.witkamp@outlook.com Additional Links Link About ICC Netherlands We ensure that Dutch business interests are heard and represented in international policymaking. We deliver tools and standards that simplify cross-border business like model contracts or Incoterms®. We support fair and efficient dispute resolution . Become a member Upcoming events Learn more Check our latest news! News Languages Spoken English, Dutch Specialisation Construction, Engineering, Arts,Leisure, Entertainment, Tourism, Sales, Purchases, Transport, Maritime, Pharmaceutical, Joint Ventures, Consortia, Cooperation, Insurance, Energy and Natural Resources, Distribution, Franchising, Corporate Law / M&A, Real Estate Shipbuilding Bar Admission(s) US (US Bar) Credentials CV

Explore ICC's comprehensive business solutions designed to facilitate global trade. From ATA Carnets and Incoterms® to model contracts, certificates of origin, and digital trade tools, discover how ICC's standards and resources support businesses of all sizes and drive international commerce. How to draft a contract Draft contracts with international business partners effortlessly using ICC Model Contracts and Clauses and the right Incoterms® rules. Go to: Step 1: Save time with ICC Model Contracts Step 2: Include ICC Model Clauses and Agreements Step 3: Choose the right Incoterms® rules Congratulations, you have successfully taken the first steps to kick-start your global export journey and identified a viable commercial opportunity. You are now looking to transact with a customer or a supplier in a foreign market. Get ready to draft, negotiate and conclude your contracts by following these steps: Save time with ICC Model Contracts Include the right clauses and terms Choose the right Incoterms® rule s This work will be essential to your long-term success, whether you are selling goods to a foreign customer, hiring a commercial agent, entering into a franchising agreement, or choosing a distributor. Step 1: Save time with ICC Model Contracts Whether negotiating a consultancy agreement abroad, cooperating on major projects or licensing a trademark, ICC Model Contracts help you get your international contracts right. Drafted by legal experts from across ICC’s worldwide network, our range of model contracts provide balanced, neutral templates for use across legal jurisdictions, empowering you to quickly establish an even-handed agreement with parties in another country. Discover ICC Model Contracts & Learn how to use ICC Model Contracts with our video series ICC Model Contracts for Start-ups Start-up ventures are drivers of today’s economy and allow creators and businesspeople across the globe to share their innovative ideas with the world. Get the model ICC Model Contract on Distributorship Distributorship contracts are one of the most frequently used means for organising the distribution of goods in a foreign country. Get the model ICC Model Contract – International Sale (Manufactured Goods) An international business transaction requires a precise and detailed underlying contract. Get the model ICC Model Contract – Commercial Agency Virtually every company engaged in international trade makes use of agents and therefore must face the problem of drafting an international agency agreement. Get the model Step 2: Include ICC Model Clauses and Agreements Clauses and agreements in international contracts specify the commitments of each party. Omitting to include clauses could prove costly in potential disputes which is why it is important to include clauses on confidentiality, contract variation, force majeure and other key areas. Discover ICC Model Clauses and Agreements Force Majeure and Hardship Clauses ICC has updated its Force Majeure and Hardship clauses to help businesses large and small draft contracts adaptable to unforeseen events such as the COVID-19 outbreak. Get the model ICC Model Confidentiality Agreement Before entering a business transaction, companies of all sizes have to consider how to protect sensitive information by drafting a non-disclosure agreement. Get the model ICC Model Anti-corruption Clause The general aim of the Clause is to provide parties with a contractual provision that will reassure them about the integrity of their counterparts during the pre-contractual period as well as during the term of the contract and even thereafter. Get the model Not sure how to approach data-related clauses? Data Management Guide for Small Business The ICC Data Management Guide, in partnership with the University of Vienna, that can helps you address data- related topics when engaging and drafting contracts with your business partners. Read more about the Guide Download the Guide Step 3: Choose the right Incoterms® rules A key decision to make when drafting your international sale contracts is the selection of the right Incoterms® rules, which define the responsibilities of buyers and sellers in a transaction. As the creator and guardian of the Incoterms® rules, ICC has made available a range of resources to help you decide which of the 11 Incoterms® 2020 rules to include in your contract. Tools and resources to choose the right Incoterms® rules Incoterms® 2020 App Get expert insights curated by ICC, the guardian of the Incoterms® rules. Download now Incoterms® 2020 wallchart Each Incoterms® rule in one visual. Get the wallchart Globally-recognised certificates Become an ICC-certified Incoterms® experts. Browse courses ICC Handbook on Transport and the Incoterms® 2020 Rules Your interactive guide to selecting the right Incoterms®2020 rule. Get the Handbook Step 1 How to seize global trade opportunities Step 2 How to draft a contract Step 3 How to execute a business transaction Step 4 How to prevent and solve potential disputes in business Step 5 How to meet international ESG requirements Related pages How to execute a business transaction How to execute a business transaction How to prevent and solve potential disputes in business How to prevent and solve potential disputes in business How to meet international ESG requirements How to meet international ESG requirements

< Back < Previous | Next > Shifting the perspective of ethics and compliance by focusing on return-on-investment Tim Morss - CEO, SpeakUp 23 Mar 2026 Compliance is often treated as overhead until the costs of non-compliance show up in legal fees, disruption, and lost trust. This post explains how you can reframe ethics and compliance as a value protecting system and shows how ROI language helps shift compliance from the department of no to an active safeguard and contributor of enterprise value. Shifting the perspective of ethics and compliance by focusing on return-on-investment Too often compliance officers bring forward real business challenges, only to be told there’s no budget. Meanwhile, the weekly floral arrangements in the company lobby cost more than the tools that would help prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. That disconnect is more than frustrating. It’s a symptom of how compliance is still perceived in many organizations, a cost. And when compliance is viewed that way, it gets resourced that way. Just enough to meet the minimum but not enough to be effective. A different approach starts with a different story. To shift the perception of compliance from “the department of no” to an active safeguard of business value, the conversation can’t begin with policies. It must begin with value. When compliance is communicated in ROI terms, four outcomes become easier for leadership to see: · It’s more cost-effective than crisis response · It strengthens brand perception · It improves productivity · And it supports retention If compliance is expensive, try non-compliance Non-compliance is rarely tracked as a single line item. It hides in legal fees, external counsel, internal investigations, operational disruption, customer churn, reputational damage, and leadership time that gets pulled away from growth priorities to deal with a fire. Everyone has felt it, but few organizations total it up. ROI framing changes that dynamic. It turns compliance into the kind of investment leaders are already used to making, i.e. trading unpredictable, unplanned costs for a smaller, planned spend that reduces volatility. Compliance keeps the business out of expensive chaos. And doing that requires funding. Compliance pays for itself One of the most useful ways to explain the ROI of ethics and compliance is to analyze the cost of real-world failures and focus on how strong programs change the pattern of incidents. Strong programs don’t create a perfect world where nothing goes wrong, but they do reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of problems. Research has pointed to the same core conclusion for years: organizations with weaker programs spend meaningfully more on penalties, legal fees, and disruption than those with stronger ones. Roughly, an average of $9.4M per year in non-compliance costs versus $3.5M per year to run a strong compliance program. On average, that’s a different of $5.9M per year that can be put back into the business. It’s not necessary to walk into a budget conversation and claim a precise ROI number. What matters is explaining the mechanism. Strong programs catch issues earlier, handle them consistently, and document them well. That lowers the cost of remediation, reduces reliance on outside counsel, and gives leadership confidence that risk is being managed. Its changes the conversation from being a moral argument, to an operational one. Speed matters: time is a cost driver If there’s one ROI lever executives understand immediately, it’s speed. The longer an issue sits unresolved, the more expensive it becomes. More meetings, more people involved, more time spent chasing facts, more uncertainty hanging over a team, more opportunity for the problem to spread, and more chances the story breaks externally instead of being handled internally. When intake is simple, triage is structured, ownership is clear, and documentation is reliable, investigations move faster and decisions get made sooner. There’s also a second-order benefit that’s harder to quantify but easy to feel: employees notice when action happens quickly and fairly. Ethics builds loyalty because trust is sticky The compliance conversation often gets trapped in a narrow frame: penalties and regulations. But the bigger value is cultural. Great people want to work for great organizations, and great organizations are the ones where employees believe the standards are real, the process is fair, and speaking up won’t end their career. When the system feels trustworthy, people stay. When it doesn’t, they quietly start looking to leave and the organization pays for it in turnover, lost productivity, and leadership distraction. Research summarized in Harvard Business Review has highlighted how ethical environments and psychological safety correlate with loyalty and retention. That matters because retention is one of the most expensive problems businesses have. Replacing experienced employees costs real money, and it drains momentum from teams. The ROI of compliance isn’t only about avoiding downside but also strengthening the investment the organization has already made people, knowledge, culture, and execution capacity. Culture drives performance Values-driven cultures function better. Engagement goes up when people trust leadership and believe the rules apply consistently, and productivity tends to follow. Research from Gallup, shows that a straight line can be drawn from a credible ethics environment to day-to-day performance. Teams spend less time navigating internal politics. People collaborate more openly because they aren’t constantly protecting themselves. The organization moves faster because trust removes friction. Ethics shows up in brand and market confidence Risks create volatility whereas transparency creates stability. Even for private companies, trust is priced. Customers ask for assurance. Partners assess credibility. Employees decide whether values are real. Investors and boards price uncertainty aggressively. Organizations with strong compliance programs are not risk-free, but they are less surprising and that is a competitive advantage. This is another reason ROI framing shifts perception, it connects compliance to outcomes leaders already value: stability, reputation, and confidence. The shift that changes everything Compliance only looks like a cost center when it’s described as one. It looks like a value function when it’s described as a system that protects value and strengthens performance. The equation is simple: · When people feel safe to report, issues surface sooner. · When issues surface sooner, they get resolved faster. · When they get resolved faster, they don’t snowball into reputation- or revenue-destroying crises. · When employees see that the system works, they trust it · And that trust builds loyalty and productivity. This is what is actually being purchased when compliance is funded, but it’s rarely communicated this way. So the next time a budget conversation comes up, don’t lead with a tool, lead with outcomes. Talk about reducing the cost of disruption, strengthening brand perception, improving productivity, and retaining great people. Flowers are nice. But funding compliance is how an organization protects, and grows, what it’s building.

We can’t find the page you’re looking for This page doesn’t exist. Go to Home and keep exploring. Go to Home

404 Looks like this page no longer exists. Back to Homepage

< Back DSI Legal Reform Advisory Board announces new Chair ICC DSI Feb 2, 2024 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Digital Standards Initiative (DSI) has announced the appointment of Oliver Wieck, Secretary General of ICC Germany, as the new Chair of the DSI Legal Reform Advisory Board. Mr Wieck is joined by three Vice-Chairs: Luca Castellani, legal officer of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and one of the drafters of the Model Law on Electronic Transferrable Records; Vashti Maharaj, Head of Digital Trade Policy with the Commonwealth; and Chantal Ononaiwu, Trade Policy and Legal Specialist Office of Trade Negotiations from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). ICC Executive Board member Valentina Mintah steps down from her role as Co-Chair having served on the Legal Reform Advisory Board since 2022. Since its inception in January 2022, the Legal Reform Advisory Board has played a pivotal role in the global campaign to remove legal barriers to seamless digital trade, and engage countries and policymakers in creating an enabling policy environment for digital trade to take root. John Denton, ICC Secretary General said: “The DSI Legal Reform Advisory Board leadership has a huge amount of expertise, and truly global reach, on the issue of legal reform. We look forward to supporting them in their advocacy work towards sustainable, inclusive, digital trade. The momentum is real, and 2024 will be pivotal.” The Legal Reform Advisory Board, which brings together a wide range of policy, legal, and financial expertise on trade digitalization, was instrumental in creating a monitoring framework to track global alignment to Model Law on Electronic Transferrable Records (MLETR). Mr Wieck, who has been serving as Interim Chair since September 2023, said: “As a representative of ICC’s national committees in the Legal Reform Advisory Board, I am very excited to contribute to shaping and promoting a globally comparable legal framework for the digitisation of global trade transactions.” Mr Castellani said: “I look forward to contributing to the work of ICC DSI on promoting the broader adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records, and, more generally, the digital transformation of trade. It is particularly important to include developing countries in those efforts in order to mitigate the digital divides.” Ms Maharaj said: “Within the Commonwealth legal reform to digitalize trade can be a true catalyst and game changer, particularly for developing states and it is my sincere honour to contribute to the dynamic work of the Legal Reform Advisory Board in creating a globally interoperable, integrated and enabling legal environment for trade facilitation.” Ms Ononaiwu said: “Trade Policy and Legal Specialist Office of Trade Negotiations from CARICOM, “I look forward to supporting the efforts of the Legal Reform Advisory Board to promote an enabling legal environment for paperless trade, which can greatly benefit small economies, like those in CARICOM, that are highly dependent on trade.” For more information about the ICC DSI, including tools and reports, please visit https://www.dsi.iccwbo.org/ . For business. For you. Previous Next

< Back G20 engagement ICC WBO Feb 2, 2024 News from the G20 Engagement in Brazil. John Denton was in Brazil this week for the opening ceremony of the B20, the business engagement group of the G20. Appointed Co-Chair of the B20 task force on Finance and Infrastructure, John was invited to address the role of global policies to enable business in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape ( see photos ). Among other B20 Task Force or Action Council Co-Chairs announced this week are ICC Chair Maria Fernanda Garza (Integrity and Compliance), ICC Board Member Lama Al-Sulaiman (Employment and Education), and World Chambers Federation Vice-Chair Marie Christine Oghly (Women, Diversity and Inclusion in Business). John underscored the role of the private sector in unlocking diplomatic negotiations within the G20 in this interview with leading Brazilian newspaper O Globo. Previous Next

< Back Clock is ticking for future of e-commerce and digital trade ICC WBO Jan 24, 2024 A World Trade Organization (WTO) moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions is set to expire in February. Without its renewal, the future of e-commerce and digital trade hangs in the balance. The WTO E-Commerce Moratorium will lapse unless WTO members agree to renew it at the WTO’s upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference, which is set to take place next month on 26-29 February in Abu Dhabi. ICC is calling on all WTO members to renew the agreement and has been making the case for its permanent adoption. Without an extension, governments could start to experiment with unilateral tariffs on everything from software, digital payments, and cloud services to the data supporting popular streaming services, disrupting the digital economy and driving up the cost of digital services that businesses across the world depend on to run and grow their operations. ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said: “ The Moratorium is a critical safeguard and allowing it to lapse would be a historical setback, hurting small businesses and consumers the most, driving up costs and reducing access to knowledge, information, and digital tools. Not only would such a move add to a damaging pattern of escalating tariffs; it would also wreak potential havoc on the online economy. Tariffs really could ‘break the Internet’.” The Moratorium has been in place since the WTO’s Second Ministerial Conference in 1998. Since then, governments have agreed to extend it at the biennial WTO Ministerial Conference. While lacking a specific definition, the term “electronic transmissions” is generally understood to mean anything from software to digital music, movies, and video games. The moratorium has played an important role in the development of the Internet by keeping tariffs off digitally delivered products, services and content. “The agreement has played a hidden – but vital – role in the growth of the Internet economy over the past two decades shielding the Internet from distortions and disruptions induced by levies at national borders. We urge governments to ensure that the moratorium is renewed at MC13 next month,” said Mr Denton. Read more about the WTO E-Commerce Moratorium here . Previous Next

< Back WTO Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions ICC WBO Feb 2, 2024 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has joined a global coalition of industry associations in a united call to renew the pivotal digital safeguard. ICC and over 170 business associations from across the world are calling on members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to renew the WTO Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions at the WTO’s upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference, which will take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 26-29 February 2024. Without the renewal, the future of e-commerce and digital trade hangs in the balance. Governments could start to experiment with unilateral tariffs on everything from software, e-books, and cloud services to the data underlying popular streaming services, disrupting the digital economy and creating havoc for businesses across the world who all depend on the Moratorium to grow and operate their businesses. The Global Industry Statement highlights that allowing the Moratorium to expire would be a historic setback for the WTO, representing an unprecedented termination of a multilateral agreement in place since 1998, which is more critical than ever at a time of unprecedented digital transformation. The statement further states that continuation of the Moratorium is critical to ongoing COVID-19 recovery, supply chain resilience and particularly beneficial to micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. It refers to recent studies that have demonstrated that any foregone revenue losses from the Moratorium are outweighed by the social, development and fiscal benefits arising from the growth of digital services. For business. For you. Previous Next