International

More EU. That's the short version of the most important and at the same time the only message which the European Commission has in store for the member states when it comes to the future of the European Union. SP Member of Parliament and spokeswoman on European affairs Renske Leijten is having none of it. “When for the first time in history a member state – the UK - is taking its leave of the EU, the European Commission is presenting one proposal after another for the EU to integrate still more quickly and still further,” she says. “So the EU budget should be increased by 10%-20%, six new member states will be admitted in 2025, changes in the euro will give member states even less control of the budget and the banks, and local authorities will soon be paralysed if they adopt policies that impinge on the interests of the internal market. The European Commission should just take a step back and take a look at what's really needed instead of always looking for European solutions. In the SP's view that means less money for the EU and more control for the member states.”

Leijten is also worried that in this discussion over the EU's future, different dossiers will be traded off against each other. “You get a lot of horse-trading in Brussels,” she says. “If we get such an agency, you can have this desirable post, and if we get our way over a reduced EU budget, then it would be good to have more countries acceding to the EU. The SP wants every discussion to be begun afresh, and dossiers not mixed or trade off against each other.”

Today will see a debate on the summit of European government leaders held this week. During the debate Leijten intends to ask Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to make his position clear and set clear limits in a number of important areas.