International

The SP today launched its campaign for the referendum on the EU’s Association Agreement with Ukraine at a rally in Amsterdam. Speakers included Harry van Bommel, Member of Parliament for the SP, Ukrainian employer Elena Plotnikova and Kees van der Pijl, professor emeritus in international relations. After the gathering dozens of SP members spread through the neighbourhood to discuss the referendum, to be held on 6th April, with members of the public.

European Employment Commissioner Marianne Thyssen today presents her long-awaited plans for amendment of the Posted Workers Directive to combat displacement and exploitation. The SP is not happy with her proposals, as Euro-MP Dennis de Jong explains. "Thyssen proposes that posted workers should have equal rights in relation to social security and pensions, but only after two years," he says. "Even if the employer obeys the law to the letter, this means that for the great majority of posted workers their social security and pensions will be set at levels prevailing in the country from which they have come. As a result they’ll remain as a rule much cheaper than local workers. In my view a posted worker should be getting precisely the same rights as a local after at most six months. Otherwise displacement on the labour market will simply continue."

The SP doubts that the arbitration system known as Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) is compatible with the European Union treaties, and is seeking therefore an official opinion from the European Court of Justice on the issue. The European Union of Judges recently made a number of sharply critical observations regarding the ISDS, while the German Judges' Council has also published an opinion casting doubt on its compatibility.

During the last few days a great deal of attention has been paid to a European Parliament study of the economic damage caused by EU internal border controls. SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong finds this open to question. “The EP study hasn't even been published yet and is only expected in mid-April,” he points out. ”There is indeed a presentation in the Internal Market Committee today, but that's based on a provisional analysis which the researchers base in turn primarily on a paper by the Bertelsmann Foundation. That paper has just come out, but is itself to a great extent based on a World Bank study. That's not all that convincing. When you're calculating the negative economic consequences of border controls, what you base this on is of crucial importance: are there, as with toll-gates, applications of modern technology involved? Are there identity checks alone, or are customs and excise controls also performed? This is all extremely unclear and so it would be better to wait for the definitive study carried out by the European Parliament itself? “.

SP leader Emile Roemer, along with the party’s Senate group leader Tiny Kox and General Secretary Hans van Heijningen, is visiting the refugee camps in Greece. Despite the massive problems with which Greece is faced, the left Syriza government is doing all it can to organise the decent reception of the refugees. ‘The Greeks can be proud of themselves and of their government,’ says Roemer. ‘I know of countries in Europe in much better financial and economic condition which could take their example from them.’