International

SP Member of Parliament Farshad Bashir has asked the government for its comments on reports that the European Commission is exclusively consulting advisers to, and representatives of, multinationals regarding its approach to tax avoidance. 'So Europe is going to ask corporations how we can best tackle their lucrative tax avoidance,’ says Bashir. ‘We should be demanding that the advice group not be restricted to multinationals. Only then can something be done about the billions lost by European countries to these multinationals’ tax evasion.’

SP Member of Parliament Jasper van Dijk describes himself as ‘outraged’ by the government’s position on depleted uranium (DU) weapons. On hearing reports that the US Air Force has used DU munitions in Libya, the SP’s parliamentary group in The Hague asked the government to supply further information. At the same time the party is urging the imposition of an international moratorium to put a stop to the use of DU weapons. ‘It’s extremely regrettable that the Dutch government doesn’t want to put an end to this insane type of weapon,’ says Van Dijk.