Nieuws van de afdeling

12 January 2009

Law of the Sea or Law of the Strongest?

Who controls the seabed? Who is responsible for protecting life offshore and the deep water environment? Who can justifiably call themselves the owners of the resources of the seabed? SP Euro-MP Erik Meijer has put a series of written questions to the European Commission demanding answers to these concerns.

12 January 2009

EU subsidies mean that roses are smiling in Italy... but not in the Netherlands

The number of rose growers in the Netherlands, long a leading producer of flower bulbs, has halved in the last ten years. Costs are rising and income falling, and no end to the industry's decline is in sight. Yet in Italy the sector is flourishing.... thanks to subsidies from Brussels. SP Euro-MP Erik Meijer wants to know why this is the case, and has put a number of questions to the European Commission in an attempt to find out.

12 January 2009

Vehicle safety checks: soon you'll be able to have your car checked where you live, not where it's registered

The SP has long argued for an EU-wide availability of the vehicle safety test which is already required in every member state. Foreigners living temporarily in another member state should be able to have their vehicles checked in their country of residence. Last September, SP Euro-MP and transport specialist Erik Meijer received confirmation from the European Commission that any citizen of an EU member state who finds him- or herself in another EU country when the date arrives on which their vehicle must undergo such a test should be able to arrange to have it done in situ. A Dutch motorist, for example, living temporarily in Greece should not be obliged to take her car back to the Netherlands for its safety check. According to media reports, Dutch Minister of Transport Camiel Eurlings now agrees.

12 January 2009

Import of furs made from cats and dogs banned

Furs made from the pelt of a dog or cat will be banned from this year, thanks to a sustained campaign from, amongst other people, concerned Dutch citizens, including SP Euro-MPs. Without this campaign, European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou would never have proposed such a ban.

11 January 2009

Van Bommel demands explanation of conflicting statements on new Afghanistan mission

SP foreign affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel will use Tuesday's parliamentary question time to ask Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop to explain conflicting comments from members of the cabinet regarding the continuation of a Dutch military presence in Afghanistan beyond the currently agreed date of 2010.

9 January 2009

Condemn both sides' aggression – a sustainable peace can only be achieved through negotiation

Today Parliament at last debated the crisis situation in the Gaza Strip with Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen. Speaking on behalf of the SP, Harry van Bommel argued for a balanced approach by the Netherlands, and the condemnation of Hamas rocket attacks, as well as of the disproportionate response of Israel's offensive. In addition, diplomacy must be strengthened: a sustainable peace can only be achieved through negotiation.

International