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19 March 2012

Government conceals costs of Olympic Games

SP Member of Parliament Renske Leijten is demanding clarification from the government regarding critical reports on the costs of organising the Olympic Games. According to Leijten the government has failed to provide Parliament with complete information on the projected costs of the event and the results of some relevant enquiries have not been sent to legislators. Leijten’s fear is that it is the most critical results which have disappeared into the far recesses of the ministry’s files. The Netherlands has bid for the Games to be held in Amsterdam in 2028, the centennial of the first Olympics to take place there.

19 March 2012

SP joins SMEs in saying: “The Netherlands must become SME-friendly”

The Dutch economy is driven by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) but laws and regulations are almost all designed to favour big corporations. That’s why the SP and the group for small and medium-sized businesses, MKB-Nederland, are in favour of applying an ‘SME test’ to all new laws and regulations. This was the conclusion of the special Day for SMEs organised today in Utrecht by the SP and MKB-Nederland. SP leader Emile Roemer told the gathering that ‘in recent years what we’ve mostly heard when it comes to the economy is “big, bigger, biggest”. We are arguing for more attention to be paid to small businesses. New laws must from now on be SME-friendly.’

19 March 2012

Jansen: 'Government puts no obstacle in the path of factory farming’

'The trend for more animals and fewer farmers is taking its toll on public health, animal welfare, nature, the quality of life in the countryside and of the farmers themselves,’ SP Member of Parliament Paulus Jansen told last Saturday’s demonstration on the Dam in the centre of Amsterdam which was called to protest against factory farming. Participating in the discussion and demonstration along with the SP were MPs from the PvdA (Labour Party), Green Left and the PvdD (Animals’ Party).

19 March 2012

Psst... Here’s another billion euros!

There are gaps in our tax laws, loopholes which have been created over time. For example, major corporations and multinationals have dreamed up fiscal constructions and in response the government has done nothing to make these constructions impossible. One of these gaps is so wide that closing it would bring in a billion euros.

18 March 2012

Compulsory labelling of furs in sight

From 8th May 2012 compulsory labelling of furs will be introduced throughout the European Union, putting an end to the uncertainty often felt by purchasers over the material from which a particular garment or fur trim is made.

15 March 2012

‘Compensate exploited asparagus planters’

SP Member of Parliament Paul Ulenbelt wants to see the fine of more than €100,000 imposed on an abusive asparagus grower from Someren in the southern Netherlands used to compensate the people whom she exploited. ‘These people were forced to work under appalling conditions,’ says Ulenbelt. ‘They were paid hardly anything, were housed in a fire-trap of an attic and in tents next to the asparagus field and by their own account were sometimes denied medicines. And for a long time the authorities did nothing. They have a right to compensation.’

International