Nieuws van de afdeling

20 September 2012

De Jong denounces EP President Martin Schulz’s call for self-censorship

SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong took advantage of a meeting of a working group on media freedom established by Dutch European Commissioner Neelie Kroes to urge far-reaching measures to protect freedom of expression. ‘Freedom to express one’s opinion is a great good,’ said De Jong. ‘Religious groups as much as columnists and filmmakers, for example, have an interest in this, even if in the discussion of the anti-Islam film it may look now as if these groups are at odds. Democracy is not for the fearful.’

19 September 2012

European Parliament and Commission reach agreement on EU expert groups

The European Parliament and European Commission have reached an agreement over the long drawn out conflict regarding EU expert groups. Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic will shortly open an informal dialogue with representatives of the EP’s political groups aimed at tightening up the existing guidelines governing the work of the estimated nine hundred expert groups. Commenting on the agreement, SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong said: ‘The Commission has at last stated a willingness to address the Parliament’s concerns over the working of the expert groups. In return, the EP has today decided to lift its block on the budget.’

12 September 2012

'Wherever there is injustice, There we will be found'

Statement form the Dutch Socialist Party after the national elections

6 September 2012

European Parliament proposal to cut number of Strasbourg sessions bites the dust

´Very disappointing’. This was SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong’s description of the advice of the Advocate-General of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in which the European Parliament’s decision to hold two of its yearly total of twelve plenary sessions held in Strasbourg in a single week was rejected. In August no such session is held, so that two must be fitted into either September or October. The European Parliament (EP) had decided to hold these in a single week, cutting the number of occasions Members and staff would have to travel. The French government immediately brought the decision before the ECJ and it now seems certain to win its case as the Court almost invariably follows the Advocate-General’s advice.

6 September 2012

Dennis de Jong: A more social Europe with parties of the left

During an election debate held in Brussels SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong insisted that only a government of the left, with the SP, the Labour Party and the Green Left as its core, could bring about a social Europe. De Jong: ‘People in the Netherlands get only bad news from Brussels. They fear for their wages and pensions, and are concerned about interference in our system of health care. These fears are well-founded, moreover. Look at what’s happening in Greece, where the minimum wage must be lowered once more and even the introduction of a six-day week is being imposed. Only a left government will look for ways to cooperate to change course and, for example, work towards agreements on the introduction of a minimum wage throughout Europe, proportional to national incomes.’

6 September 2012

SP wants plan B for Dutch Caribbean islands

Member of the Dutch Parliament’s Second Chamber Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) wants a Plan B BES for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba after the elections, to tackle poverty, minimise the pressure of regulations and create opportunities for youngsters.

International