Nieuws van de afdeling

29 November 2005

SP parliamentary motion urges lower charges for transfer of money to developing countries

The Dutch National Parliament's main legislative chamber today backed a joint SP-Christian Democrat motion which could lead to a lowering of costs for immigrants transferring funds to their countries of origin. The motion was proposed by SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel. A recent World Bank study showed that last year developing countries received $167bn dollars from migrant workers sending money to their families. Charges imposed on such payments should be set as low as possible.

28 November 2005

Kox pleased with Council of Europe decision to launch investigation into secret prisons

SP Senator Tiny Kox is pleased with the decision of the Council of Europe to launch an investigation into accusations that the United States is using secret detention centres in Europe to hold prisoners of the so-called 'war on terrorism' The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has asked Dick Marty, the Swiss Chairman of its Committee for Legal Affairs and Human Rights, to take charge of the enquiry.

26 November 2005

Kartika Liotard wins Traesko Prize

SP Euro-MP Kartika Liotard today received the "Traeskoprisen", the prize for the international political figure who most clearly "has both feet on the ground." The prize is awarded in recognition of the SP's campaign against the European constitution.

25 November 2005

Legal breakthrough in asbestos case

Today for the first time a case has been won by a victim of a disease provoked by private use of asbestos products produced by leading asbestos cement corporation Eternit. Eternit was declared to be in the wrong in refusing to pay an advance against compensatory damages for which the guilty party is liable. (Advances are routinely paid against future damages, in recognition of the grim fact that the victim may well not live long enough to see a court case completed and a final amount set.) To date, this has occurred only in work-related cases and those involving soil contamination brought about by the use of asbestos waste, distributed by the company, to pave roads, paths and yards. In addition to its breakthrough ruling, the High Council made an important declaration to the effect that Eternit was by 1971 already aware of the dangers of asbestos and knowingly kept them quiet. This is of great significance for Secretary of State Van Geel, who has stated that he did not believe that the state would be in a strong position were it to take legal action against Eternit (in favour of which the SP has long brought pressure to bear on successive governments) on the precise grounds that the company would not before 1975 have known of the health dangers.

23 November 2005

'The American legal order is not our legal order'

Harry van Bommel gave pride of place to the question of transatlantic relations during today's parliamentary debate on the Foreign Affairs Ministry's budget. “There's every reason to do this,” said the SP Member of Parliament in the party's contribution to the first round of discussion. “Because in the struggle for a just world order, transatlantic relations are important, but the question is now whether it is self-evident what these relations should constitute.” His speech, and questions to the minister, follow:

22 November 2005

Astonishment greets vote on Ports Services Directive in European Parliament

A complete rejection of the Ports Services Directive, as proposed by the SP, failed narrowly to garner sufficient support in today's vote. At the same time, however, compromises brought forward by Christian Democrats (EPP) and Liberals (ELDR) were also thrown out when both political groups decided in the end to vote against their own proposals. This astonishing spectacle unfolded today when the European Parliament's Transport Committee voted on the controversial measure to liberalise Europe's ports.

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