International

While the conclusions of the Dutch Parliamentary Commission on the financial crisis, chaired by SP member Jan de Wit, can count on broad cross-party support, the European Parliament’s equivalent body is heading for a confrontation, with the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (PSD) attempting to block input from other groups. Prospects are that no common report will be possible in which the causes of the crisis are properly analysed and policy recommendations made as to how a further crisis might be prevented. This represents a missed opportunity.

Once again something of a riot has broken out in the European Parliament. Last Friday every MEP received a note from the Parliament’s Christian Democrat president, Jerzy Buzek, summoning us to come and listen to the speech to be given by European Commission president Jose Barroso. Should we fail to comply, we’ll receive a fine. All of which is because Barroso is coming to make a ‘State of the Union’ speech, just as the US President does at the beginning of the parliamentary year. Quite apart from the fact that Members of the European Parliament should be able to decide for themselves where they wish to be, Barroso has neither the authority nor the power of a ‘European President’. And that’s just how it should be and how it must remain: Europe is not a federal state and the SP will have no truck with all of the fanfare designed to give the impression that it is. My presence or absence will be determined by my own decision as to whether I have, on the day, any more pressing business to attend to. And blackmail from the EP president is certainly not something I will give in to.

Last week I received a visit from a lobbyist from the employers' federation who was interested in proposals from the Commission to harmonise consumers' rights throughout Europe. In his view it would be very much in the interest of businesses, and especially of small businesses, if consumers enjoyed the same rights everywhere. Of course I understand that position, but can't support it if it's achieved at the expense of the Dutch consumer. The SP will oppose any proposal which has a negative effect on these rights.

It's peaceful at the European Parliament at the moment, as there's almost nobody here. The SP group also takes a break, and for the next three weeks our offices will be empty, just like all the other offices. So this is an excellent opportunity to read all of those reports which as a Euro-MP one receives daily. Amongst these is an outstanding report from the European trade union movement on public services. Making use of certain new provisions contained in the Lisbon Treaty, the trade union movement wants an assurance from the European Commission that local, regional and national authorities will again be able to take their own decisions regarding public services, without being continually hampered by Brussels. The Commission would like to see everything as the 'market', and the authorities forced to farm out public services to private parties. Precisely what the Commission wants: the more market, the more opportunities for major corporations, something the Commission has been fond of for twenty years or more.