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Nieuws uit 2009

14 January 2009

Van Bommel: ‘It has to be about the victims, and about finding a solution’

The explosion of violence in the Gaza Strip has launched a wave of emotion across the world. The conflict provoked strong reactions on all sides. The Dutch government, however, is keeping its options open. That cannot be said of Harry van Bommel, foreign affairs spokesman for the SP. On his initiative Parliament came back early from recess, meeting last Friday to discuss the situation. But at the same time, a row has broken out which focuses on Van Bommel and his alleged views on the situation.

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14 January 2009

Continuing mystery of 1975 air crash: SP Euro-MP calls for help for relatives of victims

In 1975 a Hungarian aircraft crashed into the sea, just before arriving in Beirut. There was one Dutch citizen on board along with fifty-nine other people. SP Euro-MP Erik Meijer is urging the European Commission to help the surviving relatives of the victims to find answers to the questions which remain unanswered. The Hungarian airline Malév refuses to offer any information.

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12 January 2009

Law of the Sea or Law of the Strongest?

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.

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12 January 2009

EU subsidies mean that roses are smiling in Italy... but not in the Netherlands

The number of rose growers in the Netherlands, long a leading producer of flower bulbs, has halved in the last ten years. Costs are rising and income falling, and no end to the industry's decline is in sight. Yet in Italy the sector is flourishing.... thanks to subsidies from Brussels. SP Euro-MP Erik Meijer wants to know why this is the case, and has put a number of questions to the European Commission in an attempt to find out.

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12 January 2009

Vehicle safety checks: soon you'll be able to have your car checked where you live, not where it's registered

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.

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12 January 2009

Import of furs made from cats and dogs banned

Furs made from the pelt of a dog or cat will be banned from this year, thanks to a sustained campaign from, amongst other people, concerned Dutch citizens, including SP Euro-MPs. Without this campaign, European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou would never have proposed such a ban.

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