Your future
A master’s degree with a specialisation in Customs and International Supply Chain Taxation opens the door to a wide range of career opportunities – in the Netherlands, across Europe, and worldwide. You will graduate with in-depth knowledge of customs law, VAT, excise duties, carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM), and other trade-related levies, as well as their interaction with international and EU law. These are highly valued skills for employers in both the public and private sectors – including customs authorities, international organisations, law and accounting firms, and multinational companies. Moreover, due to various geopolitical developments (e.g. trade wars, the Russo-Ukrainian armed conflict), the demand for customs and supply chain tax experts has risen sharply. Your ability to understand and navigate the complex legal and economic dynamics of global supply chains will give you an excellent position in the job market.
Upon graduation, you will be a legal tax professional with a thorough knowledge of financial and business matters. You will be particularly well-suited to work at tax advisory firms, multinational enterprises, and international organisations. Moreover, the growing influence of international and European tax law in domestic settings ensures that you will excel within your national legal tax system.
Practically all our students find a job soon after they have graduated. On average, their salary levels are higher than those of students who have specialised in other fields of law. Unemployment is also significantly lower for tax law graduates.
Good to know: Graduating from the programme enables you to pursue membership at the Nederlandse Orde van Belastingadviseurs (NOB) – the Dutch Association of Tax Advisers – regardless of whether you have a Dutch or international background. You do not need to be a qualified lawyer in the Dutch court system to advance your career as a tax professional in the Netherlands.
Graduates of the programme have taken on roles such as:
- International Tax Consultant at top-tier advisory firms, helping clients navigate complex tax structures and comply with global regulations.
- In-House Tax Specialist at multinational enterprises, managing the tax implications of cross-border transactions and ensuring tax compliance.
- Policy Officer or Tax Manager at international institutions (OECD, European Commission, CIAT), contributing to global tax standards and tax administration.
- Tax Policy Adviser at ministries of finance, working on tax treaty negotiations, transfer pricing regulations, and the implementation of global tax standards.
- Tax Auditor or Inspector at national tax authorities, responsible for auditing multinational companies and ensuring proper tax enforcement.
- Academic Researcher or University Lecturer, specialising in international and European tax law and pursuing a PhD in this legal field.
Alumni at work
Graduates of the programme go on to build successful careers in a variety of sectors, from global advisory firms to international organisations and beyond. With a strong foundation in international tax treaties and European directives, combined with practical experience and skills gained through Problem-Based Learning (PBL), our alumni are well-equipped to excel in their chosen careers.
Qualify for NOB and legal professions (civiel effect)
The larger Dutch tax consultancy firms in particular ask tax specialists to become members of professional organisations like the Dutch Association of Tax Advisers/ Nederlandse Orde van Belastingadviseurs (NOB) or similar organisations. Graduating from the programme International and European Tax Law enables you to pursue membership at the NOB of whether you have a Dutch or international background.
While civiel effect is not a requirement for working as a tax advisor in the Netherlands, it does qualify you to practise traditional legal professions in the country, such as becoming an attorney or judge. If you have obtained a bachelor’s degree in Fiscaal Recht at Maastricht University, you will qualify for civiel effect upon graduating from the master’s programme. In that case, the master’s programme International and European Tax Law combines the best of both worlds: eligibility for NOB membership and qualification for civiel effect.
More information regarding civiel effect and NOB
In the Netherlands, it is important to distinguish between civiel effect - whether you are eligible for admission to the bar in the Netherlands - and whether you are eligible for membership in professional organisations like the Dutch Association of Tax Advisers/ Nederlandse Orde van Belastingadviseurs (NOB) or similar organisations. The larger Dutch tax consultancy firms in particular ask tax specialists to become members of the NOB. In contrast, civiel effect is not a requirement for working as a tax advisor in the Netherlands.
To become a member of the NOB, you must have obtained at least 52 credits for courses relating to tax law, out of which at least 30 credits must have been obtained during your master’s studies. The master’s programme International and European Tax Law brings at least 42 credits for tax-related courses. If you have completed a bachelor’s degree in Fiscaal Recht or Fiscal Economics at Maastricht University, you will meet the requirements for NOB membership upon graduation. The international orientation of the programme will therefore not hamper your ability to pursue a career in the Netherlands.
If you have an international background, you might have to follow (part of) an English compensatory programme, depending on your work experience and previous education. The NOB offers three compensatory programmes in English: customs, tax technology, and transfer pricing. You can also consult the website of the NOB for more information about the English compensatory programmes.
Is civiel effect and/or NOB membership important for you? If so, please be advised that even if you qualify for direct admission to the master’s programme in International and European Tax Law, this does not mean that you qualify for civiel effect and/or NOB membership after graduating from the programme. Rather, whether you qualify for one or both of these depends on your previous education. You can find some combinations in the overview below (please note that requirements for NOB membership may be subject to change):
| Civiel effect (the graduate should be eligible for admission to the bar in the Netherlands) | NOB (the graduate should be able to join the Dutch Association of Tax Advisers) | |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree Fiscaal Recht at UM + master’s degree IETL (all specialisations) | yes | yes |
| Bachelor’s degree European Law School at UM with at least 12 ECTS of tax law courses + master’s degree IETL (all specialisations) | no* | yes, but you may be required to complete an English compensatory programme offered by NOB |
| Bachelor’s degree Rechtsgeleerdheid at UM with at least 12 ECTS of tax law courses + master’s degree IETL (all specialisations) | yes | yes |
| Dutch pre-master Fiscaal Recht at UM + master’s degree IETL (all specialisations) | no* | yes |
| Academic Dutch or non-Dutch bachelor's degree with at least 12 ECTS of tax law courses + master’s degree IETL (all specialisations) | no* | yes, but you may be required to complete an English compensatory programme offered by NOB |
*) Unless the graduate possesses an (additional) bachelor’s degree in Rechtsgeleerdheid at UM.
FIRST Maastricht
FIRST Maastricht is the study association for tax law students at the Maastricht University Faculty of Law and an excellent way to build your network. Bringing together our students from Fiscaal Recht and this programme, the association offers a wide range of activities, including monthly drinks, a study trip to Luxembourg, and an international job fair. These events provide valuable opportunities to connect with potential future employers, and many of our tax law students successfully launch their careers through FIRST Maastricht.