International

The memoranda regarding the abolition of the Netherlands' tax on dividends reveal the government at its worst. In the wake of the clumsy drivel about who knew what and when and who knew about which memoranda and who could or could not remember them, the Dutch people are left with a bewildering textbook example of a shareholders' economy and fraud hidden from sight.

Payments increased, income from customs duties reduced, and the Netherlands' rebate ended. Robbed by the European Commission three times over. The proposed new budget presented today by the Commission goes beyond all previous limits. Renske Leijten, SP spokeswoman on EU affairs in the national parliament, believes that a smaller European Union, without the United Kingdom, should also mean a smaller budget.

While there have been positive developments in recent weeks in the relationship between North and South Korea, tensions surrounding Iran have at the same time been intensifying in rapid tempo. This is an extremely worrying development which could lead to an eruption of violence. That must be prevented.

We've all seen it from time to time in the supermarket: food so cheap we ask ourselves how anyone can make money from it. How can a chicken or a bag of onions cost so little? Of course as consumers we're glad, especially if we're on a low income, but at the same time we have the feeling that somewhere along the way there must be losers. Who are the losers in the food supply chain? And what can we do about it?

'Operation Olive Branch' – it would be hard to come up with a more cynical name for the Turkish invasion of the northern Syrian town of Afrin. Since January 20th, when the first Turkish bombs fell, the invasion has cost hundreds of lives, while the world watches on. SP foreign affairs spokeswoman Sadet Karabulut, MP, continues to urge an uncompromising condemnation of President Erdogan's warmongering politics. She was interviewed by Leslie Arp for the SP monthly De Tribune, where this article first appeared, in the original Dutch.

For the SP, the revised trade treaty with Mexico that the European Commission concluded during the weekend represents a huge disappointment when seen from the point of view of the protection of human rights or ethical business practice. “Obviously the European Commission finds getting one over on President Trump of more importance than fulfilling its own ambitions in relation to fair trade,” says SP Euro-MP Anne-Marie Mineur. “One after another, free trade agreements are being signed at a murderous pace, while existing free trade and globalisation are increasing inequality across the world.”

Labour migration, principally from eastern Europe, must be much better regulated. The uncontrolled influx of migrant workers is leading to trouble, to repression and exploitation. SP Member of Parliament Jasper van Dijk has five proposals to regulate the movement of workers.

Immediately after today's adoption by the European Parliament of a tough resolution criticising the way in which Martin Selmayr was appointed Secretary General of the European Commission, the Commission issued a press release stating in effect that it would take no action in response. “It's a pity that the Parliament renounced its most important weapon, the postponement of approval of the Commission's accounts. Inadvisedly, as it now appears, because Juncker's Commission is sticking stubbornly to its arrogant position,” says SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong.

In recent weeks SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong has been in the news in the row surrounding the hasty nomination of Martin Selmayr as Secretary General of the European Commission, the highest-placed official in the Brussels-based executive. SP monthly De Tribune interviewed him at the end of the hearing which the European Parliament organised on the issue, on the initiative of Dennis de Jong and other MEPs. In his responses to five questions, De Jong outlines his serious concerns about the appointment.