International

A parliamentary majority today decided that the Netherlands should oppose setting up a European Office for Public Prosecutions. This is a victory for SP Member of Parliament Michiel van Nispen, who has opposed the move from the start. “Fraud involving European money must be combatted effectively, but an EU Public Prosecutor is undesirable. Such an office is unnecessary for mutual cooperation and thus redundant. This can be achieved by making sound agreements. An EU Public Prosecutor would, moreover, lead to further transfers of powers. I’d rather cooperate to fight crime and retain the power at home to determine our priorities in the pursuit and prosecution of criminals.”

250 MPs from thirteen different member states have signed a statement demanding that national parliaments be given the right to debate the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada. Their demand for involvement was presented in a letter to the government of Slovakia in its capacity as holder of the EU’s rotating presidency. The statement was an initiative of SP Senator Tuur Elzinga. “CETA will have far-reaching consequences for these various countries,” Elzinga explains. “So it’s not a treaty which can be introduced behind people’s backs. National parliaments must have the chance to approve or reject the agreement. That’s democracy.”