Nieuws van de afdeling

25 July 2013

Strong evidence of nuclear weapons on Dutch soil

In a recent article on the modernisation of the American B61 nuclear weapons allocated to NATO, three former government ministers - Lubbers, van Agt and Stemerdink - were quoted as saying that in their period in government nuclear bombs were indeed housed at the Volkel airforce base. The big question now is whether that is still the case, the policy of every successive sitting government being neither to deny nor confirm the presence of these weapons. There are, however, a few hard facts which indicate that they are there.

24 July 2013

Airline passengers still need to be careful: rights remain limited

Every year during the summer holiday period complaints pour into consumer organisations from airline passengers who have experienced problems. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) draws attention to two things which stand out amongst these complaints: it is common for the total costs of an airline journey to turn out far higher than expected, because airlines persist in not including all costs in the price shown on the ticket; and European Union laws to protect passengers don’t apply to flights from outside the European Union on a non-European airline. Commenting on these issues, SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong says that ‘both matters are things that I’ve often taken up with the European Commission, but in their latest legislative proposal I still can’t find any amendment to the regulation. Given the number of complaints, however, these are real problems and I intend shortly to present some proposed amendments to ensure that protection is improved.’

19 July 2013

De Jong: OECD action plan strikes blow to tax haven Netherlands

The club of rich industrialised countries, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) today presented its proposals to counter tax evasion and tax avoidance to the G20, the informal body which brings together Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from twenty major economies. Should these proposals be adopted, the SP believes that an end will be brought to many of the practices of the Netherlands and others who foster such tax dodging. ‘The OECD wants to put an end to the secret agreements between multinationals and tax offices,’ says De Jong. ‘That’s a matter which both the Dutch and the European Parliaments have hammered away at for years. According to the action plan the OECD intends to inventorise its member states’ practices and by the end of 2014 at the latest establish a system of oversight. After that states will be obliged to fully inform each other about all tax agreements. That’s an important step forwards, but I want to see this information then being made available to parliaments, because otherwise we will still have no way of gaining any insight, in our role as the people’s representatives, into what precisely is going on.’

16 July 2013

Free Trade Agreement between EU and US a race down the waste pipe

This week saw the start of negotiations between the EU and the US on a free trade agreement. The SP is opposed to this proposed treaty, as SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong explains. ‘The words ‘free trade agreement’ are completely misleading,’ he says. ‘It’s nothing to do with the traditional lowering of tariffs, as these are already relatively low. What the agreement is seeking to achieve is the creation of a huge internal market such as now exists within the European Union. Without effective guarantees on social rights, the environment and food security and safety, this will be the starting gun for a race down the drain.’

10 July 2013

Roemer: 'Dijsselbloem must reject Brussels plans for banking union’

According to SP leader Emile Roemer the European Commission’s recent proposal for a European Banking Union is a massive step in the wrong direction. ‘If it’s left to the Commission,’ he explains, ‘the Dutch banks which we have kept afloat with our taxes will soon be paying up to save banks in other countries.’

8 July 2013

Van Bommel: Where has Dutch aid money for Srebrenica gone?

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel is demanding an enquiry into the millions that the Netherlands has poured into Srebrenica. Widespread corruption means that Dutch aid money for Srebrenica may not reach the people, while hundreds of refugees continue to wait for available accommodation so that they can return to the town.

International