Shareholders with a stake greater than 3% in Dutch companies should have to declare whether they support the company’s established strategy, finance minister Wouter Bos said late on Thursday.

Bos said the measure would help protect firms, by bringing ‘balance to a shareholders’ stake and its influence, and by reducing companies’ vulnerability’.
A number of Dutch firms continues to face pressure from activist shareholders who want to force them to change direction. Chip-machinery maker ASMI is the latest to come under attack. A group of ASMI want the CEO sacked.