International

On 20th November the Council of Europe, in its long-awaited judgment on the controversial ‘Laval’ court case, confirmed in plain language that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) had breached the European Social Charter by making trade union rights subordinate to the free market. The council of Europe represents forty-seven countries in Europe. Responding to the ruling, SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong said: ‘I have this morning asked the European Commission what consequences are attendant upon this verdict. In particular it shows how important it is that the Europe Union should immediately become party to the European Social Charter. Otherwise we will find ourselves in the bizarre situation that member states are being judged by the Council of Europe that member states will be condemned whenever they apply policy for which the Commission of the ECJ is responsible.’

Although Mark Verheijen of the governing centre-right VVD has apologised, he was of course correct when he said that Europhiles such as Guy Verhofstadt, who heads his party’s political group in the European Parliament, and EP President Martin Schultz, represent a major menace to continued support for Europe. But what about the Eurosceptics in his own party? Are they sincere or only thinking of the forthcoming European elections?