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Nieuws uit 2011

6 October 2011

EU foreign policy must promote freedom of religion and secularism

Centrist liberals D66 joined the SP in the European Parliament in urging the adoption of foreign policy rules for the protection of freedom of religion and philosophical conviction and the furtherance of the principle of separation between religious establishment and state outside Europe. The European diplomatic corps, known as the EU External Action Service, should be acting against discriminatory laws abroad. The two parties also want the High Representative for EU foreign policy, Catherine Ashton to publish an annual report on the issue. This was the outcome of a debate in the European Parliament organised on Thursday by the two Dutch opposition parties and attended by diplomats and senior advisers of the US government and the European Union.

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5 October 2011

Palestinians granted 'Partner for Democracy' status in Council of Europe

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has awarded the Palestinian parliament the status of 'Partner for Democracy'. The assembly took the decision yesterday on the recommendation of Netherlands representative SP Senator Tiny Kox, who had presented a resolution to that effect. Senator Kox was earlier in the year appointed by PACE as special rapporteur for relations with the Palestinian Council and parliament. As a result of the 'Partner for Democracy' status, Palestinian MPs can henceforth participate in the assembly’s meetings and other activities, joining representatives of forty-seven countries.

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4 October 2011

Parliament supports SP: pharmaceutical industry research must be made public

Parliament today voted in favour of a proposal from SP Member of Parliament Henk van Gerven all of the results of research into the effects of medicines on human beings must be made public. ‘Thanks to this proposal firms will no longer be able to sweep negative results under the carpet,’ says Van Gerven. ‘Scientific research will in this way be improved and made safer.’

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3 October 2011

Then and now: Exploitation of workers from Central and Eastern Europe

It’s April 2007. ‘Unrestricted access of workers from Central and Eastern European countries is leading to an explosion of abuses,’ says SP Member of Parliament Paul Ulenbelt. ‘This is because employers’ responsibility to provide decent housing for foreign workers and monitoring of such housing is not being properly regulated, while measures to guarantee equal pay for equal work are absent.’

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30 September 2011

Van Bommel: 'EU treaty with Indonesia much too soon’

For SP foreign affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel, the new agreement between the EU and Indonesia has come far too soon. The European Union has signed the accord in an attempt to draw the two sides closer together. “The bond between the Netherlands and Indonesia is, it’s true, already age-old, but is also extremely sensitive,” says Van Bommel. “As long as there is corruption in Indonesia and human rights abuses continue there, it makes no sense for the EU to reward that country with a favourable agreement. This accord is aimed principally at putting the EU on the map in Asia.”

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30 September 2011

Uncrewed planes don't help: only diplomacy can save the Somalis

The Dutch government must commit itself to a diplomatic offensive for Somalia. By doing so, they would not only be working toward a solution to the acute humanitarian crisis in the country, but possibly even toward a political solution in the longer term, argues Ewout Irrgang.

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