Nieuws van de afdeling

21 June 2013

Europe’s Council of Guardians

Ronald van Raak - Europe and democracy (deep sigh). The enlargement of the Union, the introduction of the euro, the forcing through of the European Constitution, all of these have happened against the will of the people who no longer have any confidence in the European Union and are asking for divorce papers. This is leading to fear within the EU institution and a sop for the people in the form of the European Citizens’ Initiative, a measure once again dripping with arrogance and suspicion.

21 June 2013

European Stability Mechanism now a plunder-fund for Europe’s bankers

Finance ministers from the seventeen Eurozone countries this evening decided that the ESM emergency fund could be used to give financial support directly to banks, making the fund, to which the Netherlands contributes €40 billion, a plunder-fund for European banking.

21 June 2013

Van Bommel: 'Urgent debate needed on ill-treatment of Palestinian children’

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel has requested an urgent parliamentary debate on a newly-published UN report on ill-treatment of Palestinian children by Israel. ‘The report shows that Israel is guilty of abuses of the rights of arrested Palestinian children,’ he explains. ‘Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans stated repeatedly last week that he saw no occasion as things stand to increase pressure on Israel. This report must change that.’

20 June 2013

Posted Workers’ Directive: once again, European Parliament puts market before people

The European Parliament today voted to confirm its position in the imminent negotiations with the European Council – which directly represents the member states – and the European Commission on proposals for improved enforcement of the rules on equal pay for equal work.

20 June 2013

Merkies: new tax treaty puts Ethiopia at disadvantage

SP Member of Parliament Arnold Merkies has major objections to the recently concluded taxation agreement with Ethiopia, which appears principally to promote the interests of multinational corporations. Merkies is anxious to see the treaty submitted to Parliament in order that greater justice can be accorded to Ethiopia’s position as a developing country. ‘The government has promised to give developing countries more space to collect badly-needed tax revenues, but this isn’t evident in this agreement. If this treaty stands as a model for taxation agreements with other developing countries, then these promises will turn out to have been worth very little.’

19 June 2013

Cyprus loan programme in doubt

The agreement on the programme of loans for Cyprus, arrived at a mere two months ago, is now in serious doubt. This was SP Member of Parliament Arnold Merkies’s conclusion after reading the leaked brief from the Cypriot President to the Eurozone, in which he asks for the accord’s revision and the possibility of more funds. Merkies has asked the Minister of Finance in the Dutch government to clarify the situation. ‘Although these agreements have only just been made,’ says Merkies, 'Cyprus is already sowing seeds of doubt as to whether they can be fulfilled. The chance that the programme of loans will be unsuccessful and that we can kiss our money goodbye is hugely increased by this.’

International