The Hague - Top Dutch financial managers were due Wednesday to brief the government on the ongoing financial crisis during a special hearing in parliament. The managers were expected to present their views about the possible consequences of the crisis for the Dutch economy in the coming year.
Chairmen Michel Tilmant of the ING Group, Sjoerd van Keulen of the SNS Reaal Group, and Bert Heemskerk of Rabobank were among those due to address the house.
Board chairmen Jan van Rutte and Jan Peter Schmittman would speak on behalf of the Dutch banking division of Fortis NV, comprising Fortis bank and ABN Amro bank.
Rabobank was the only financial company represented in parliament on Wednesday that did not receive any support from the Dutch government. The company has emphasized it will not need such assistance.
Last month, insurance giant ING Group received 10 billion euros (13.03 billion dollars) in Dutch government support.
Banking and insurance provider SNS Reaal received 750 million euros in November, while in October, the government nationalized the entire Dutch banking division of former Belgian-Dutch bank and insurance giant Fortis.
Wednesday's hearing was the second briefing on the financial crisis in the Dutch parliament in a month. In late October, Dutch central bank president Nout Wellink informed parliament that the crisis would "substantially" affect the Dutch economy in 2009.
