International

Who controls the seabed? Who is responsible for protecting life offshore and the deep water environment? Who can justifiably call themselves the owners of the resources of the seabed? SP Euro-MP Erik Meijer has put a series of written questions to the European Commission demanding answers to these concerns.

The SP has long argued for an EU-wide availability of the vehicle safety test which is already required in every member state. Foreigners living temporarily in another member state should be able to have their vehicles checked in their country of residence. Last September, SP Euro-MP and transport specialist Erik Meijer received confirmation from the European Commission that any citizen of an EU member state who finds him- or herself in another EU country when the date arrives on which their vehicle must undergo such a test should be able to arrange to have it done in situ. A Dutch motorist, for example, living temporarily in Greece should not be obliged to take her car back to the Netherlands for its safety check. According to media reports, Dutch Minister of Transport Camiel Eurlings now agrees.