Nieuws van de afdeling

14 March 2007

Environmental agreement demonstrates that European Constitution is unnecessary

The agreement at European level to bring about drastic cuts in CO2 emissions over the next few years has brought back a bit of lustre to the EU. At the same time, it gives the lie to the idea that the Union has become unworkable. There is clearly, therefore, no need for a European constitution, argued the SP's national parliamentary spokesman on European affairs Harry van Bommel in today's debate on last week's European summit.

13 March 2007

SP says no to European market testing in health care

The SP's Euro-MPs have declared their complete opposition to EU-directed market-testing in health care. In the guise of furthering patient mobility, pressure is coming from a range of EU bodies to force health care to come under the rules of the internal market in services.

7 March 2007

Provincial Assemblies: SP repeats parliamentary election triumph in regional poll

Following its increase from nine to twenty-five parliamentary seats in last November’s election, the SP has marked another enormous electoral victory in today’s polls for the Netherlands’ regional governmental assemblies, the “Provinciale Staten”.

3 March 2007

Judicial ruling makes it clear: Bill for asbestos clean-up must go to Eternit

The costs of decontaminating paths and roads constructed from asbestos waste should be covered by Eternit, the firm responsible for them. SP Member of Parliament Remi Poppe has asked the Minister of the Environment what it is that, for the government, continues to stand in the way of this. A court in Arnhem ruled this week that Eternit must be held responsible for the illness of a man whose parents had been given asbestos waste by the firm in 1967. At that time it was common practice for Eternit to give such waste free of charge to people living in the area for use in paving paths and yards, despite the fact that the firm was by then completely aware of the deadly damage inflicted by asbestos, a subject on which it chose to remain silent.

2 March 2007

New step forward in campaign against cluster bombs – Ball now in Dutch government's court

SP Member of Parliament Krista Van Velzen describes herself as “delighted” that Belgium, in the wake of its ban on the production or possession of cluster bombs, has now made it illegal to provide finance for companies or individuals carrying out these activities. The SP has in the recent past conducted a campaign against the banks ING and ABN AMRO and their investment, albeit indirect, in these highly controversial weapons. Happily the banks have now announced changes in their policy with regard to the matter, but to date the Dutch government has lagged in its response. Van Velzen is determined to see this change.

2 March 2007

Labour votes down proposal for parliamentary enquiry into Iraq

SP leader Jan Marijnissen's insistence on a roll-call vote notwithstanding, the motion to establish a parliamentary enquiry into the Netherlands' involvement in the Iraqi War was rejected by 107 votes to 38. The PvdA (Labour Party), which during its years in opposition argued on numerous occasions, and in the strongest possible terms, for just such an enquiry, voted against. The three governing parties – Christian Democrats (CDA), Labour and the Christian Union – had reached an unwritten agreement during their coalition negotiations that no enquiry would be held.

International