Nieuws van de afdeling

20 February 2014

Parliament supports SP: consult citizens over EU-US free trade agreement

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the free trade agreement under negotiation between the US and the EU, must not lead to a lowering of European standards. A motion to this effect proposed by the SP was carried in the Dutch national Parliament on Thursday. Commenting on the successful motion, SP Member of Parliament Jasper van Dijk said that ‘this would prevent a race to the bottom in relation to safety provisions, sustainability, and working conditions. US corporations which, due to their export interests, are putting pressure on for a lower standard of protection, are from today onwards going to be in conflict with the express will of Parliament.’

19 February 2014

Van Bommel meets with drone victims

SP-Kamerlid Harry van Bommel welcomed victims of American drone attacks to a special meeting in the Dutch national parliament in The Hague on Wednesday. ‘Attention is paid regularly in the media and by politicians to this drone war,’ says Van Bommel, ‘but one aspect figures always far too little, and that is the aspect which involves the many innocent victims. So it’s good that these people from Pakistan were in The Hague today.’

14 February 2014

End negotiations on EU-US free trade agreement

The free trade agreement between the EU and the US will impinge on our rules on safety, damage our social policy and erode our democracy.

14 February 2014

Van Bommel delighted by freeing of anti-drone-activist

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel says that he was ‘delighted’ by the recent freeing of anti-drone activist Karim Khan, who had been arrested earlier in the month. ‘We have invited Mr Khan to come and speak in the Netherlands about the absolutely disastrous consequences of the American drone-war in his country,’ says Van Bommel. ‘I’m really pleased that he will now after all be able to come, because it’s important that his story is heard.’

13 February 2014

Dennis de Jong speaks at meeting on freedom of religion or belief Broad support for first annual report of EP working group on freedom of religion or belief

Freedom of religion and conviction are under pressure throughout the world, but the European Parliament, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the UN intend to work more closely together to turn the tide. That was the message today at the presentation in the European Parliament of the first annual report of the working group on freedom of religion or belief organised by SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong and Peter van Dalen of the Dutch party the Christian Union. ‘Both the UN Special Rapporteur on the issue Heiner Bielefeldt and Vice-Chair of USCIRF Dr Katrina Swett see the report as a good basis for more intensive cooperation with the EP working group,’ says De Jong. ‘Amongst the more than two hundred participants from numerous religious and non-religious organisations there was a lot of support for the report’s recommendations. The contribution from a delegation of religious leaders from Iraq was particularly impressive. These leaders promote interreligious dialogue, especially among young people, sometimes putting their own lives in danger. This sort of initiative should be supported wherever possible by the EU and the member states.’

12 February 2014

De Jong demands openness over EU institutions’ anti-corruption policies

The European Parliament today hosts a hearing with European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström on the Anti-Corruption report published by the Commission last week. ‘The report gives an insight into the situation in the member states,’ says SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong, ‘but the sections going into corruption within the European institutions are incomplete. In recent years I have seen many instances of corruption within the Commission and its agencies, as well as the European Parliament itself. So it’s arrogant of the Commission to think they can get away with a report which deals with everyone except themselves. A lot of the measures the Commission recommend to the member states they haven’t themselves implemented in house. That undermines their entire credibility. As far as I’m concerned Malmström will have a great deal to explain during the hearing.’

International