Prof. Servaas Van Thiel

Prof. Van Thiel (PhD Law Erasmus University Rotterdam; LL.M. International and Comprative Law (PILC) VUB; MA Economics-Industrial Location VUB; "Meester" Law University of Nijmegen) works for the European Union (EEAS) in the Geneva delegation, where he heads the Section Economic Affairs, Development and Environment. He is also a part-time Judge in the Regional Court of Appeal at Den Bosch, The Netherlands.

Previously, he served as the Head of the Tax Division of the EU Council of Ministers (2003-2011) and as a Diplomatic Counsellor in the Council's Geneva Liaison Office (where he acquired a practical experience with the functioning of the World Trade Organization and numerous Geneva-based United Nations organisations). At the start of his EU career, he was a staff member at the European Court of Justice. Before joining the EU institutions, he was a Senior Research Fellow of the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation in Amsterdam.

At the VUB, he was previously the Director of the LL.M in International and European Law (PILC) as well as member of the Executive Board of the Institute for European Studies (2003 - 2011). He also served as a Visiting Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and New York University. In addition, Prof. Van Thiel has been a guest lecturer at numerous universities in and outside Europe, including Harvard, Princeton, Georgia (USA), Pittsburgh, Wuhan China, Turku etc.

He has published 18 books on a variety of issues including:
 

• CFE Forum reports: 2010 – 2011: Sharing information across borders in direct and indirect tax (2010)
• Permanent establishment in international Tax law (2011)
• Tax evasion and tax avoidance: Symposium on EU Tax Policy, (2011, co-ed.)
• The Confédération Fiscale Européenne at 50 years: commemorative book issued on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the CFE with a special focus on taxpayer rights and taxpayer charters (2009, Editor and contributor of 1 Chapter).
• Justice, Liberty, Security. New Challenges for EU External Relations (2008, co-ed.
• The European Union's Prohibition of Discrimination, Most Favoured Nation Treatment and Tax Treaties: Opinions and Materials (2006, ed.)
• Understanding the European Constitution (2005, co-ed.) 
• Free Movement of Persons and Income Tax Law: the European Court in Search of Principles (2002)
• EU Case Law on Income Tax, Part I (2001)

Prof. Van Thiel has also published over 100 book chapters and articles in journals such as the EC Tax Review, European Taxation, International VAT Monitor, Bulletin for International Fiscal Documentation.