At the request of the Dutch government, the Dutch National Contact Point investigated the compliance of the Dutch oil and gas sector with the OECD Guidelines. This is the first time an NCP was asked to carry out a cross sector research and to give advise on the matter. As reported by OECD Watch, the Dutch NCP concludes that "the implementation of the OECD Guidelines in the Dutch oil and gas sector is poor" and calls on both oil and gas companies as well as the Dutch government to develop a plan for bringing the sector in line with the OECD Guidelines and monitoring compliance. 

The findings reinforce OECD Watch's position that voluntary measures are often insufficient in encouraging company adherence to the guidelines. They are calling for governments to make due diligence mandatory for companies. More information is available below.