International

Demonstrations in Germany and Austria had already brought some 300,000 people on to the streets to demonstrate against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the US and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada. In Brussels today, 15.000 were added to that total, with representation from trade unions, political parties, consumer groups, environmental organisations and groups which stand for good health care, food safety and democracy. The SP was amongst those present. “If you don't say no you get two,” said SP Euro-MP Anne-Marie Mineur. “TTIP and CETA must be chucked out, and as soon as possible.”

The SP is delighted with the fresh leak of information on the negotiations over the megalomaniac Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) which Greenpeace revealed today, but extremely unhappy about its contents. Greenpeace's revelations on this occasion concern, amongst other documents, the energy chapter, which shows that the TiSA undermines the climate accord agreed at the end of last year in Paris.

In his ‘State of the Union’, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker repeated the claim that he was pursing the fight against tax dodging by major corporations. In addition, he advocated a doubling of the European Fund for Strategic Investment, aka the Juncker Fund. Yet now it's precisely via the Juncker Fund that money is finding its way straight to tax havens such as the Cayman Islands. Counter Balance, an organisation which keeps a critical eye on the European Investment Bank (EIB), has published a new report where all of this is explained in great detail. This is a matter on which I'll soon be putting written questions to the Commission. Juncker has some explaing to do.

Today, all eyes were turned on president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker as he presented his annual ´State of the Union´ address. The SP’s Euro-MPs were unimpressed, and presented an alternative, a True State of the Union. One of them, Dennis de Jong explained: “In our True State of the Union we have tried to give the voices of ordinary people a hearing. With five concrete proposals we want to give back control to people over their own neighbourhoods. That means less control by Brussels and big corporations. If you listened closely to Juncker, what you heard was a plea for more Brussels.”

The European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) today presented a manifesto containing concrete proposals to combat social dumping in European road transport. Responding to the proposals, SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong said: “Social dumping in road transport not only leads to degrading situations for drivers but also undermines road safety. Last year along with like-minded MEPs I presented a package of proposals to Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc. ETF’s proposals point in the same direction, and I’ll be stepping up the pressure on the Commissioner to get her to take them on board when she, as she has previously announced she would, comes up with her own legislative proposals early next year.”

Negotiations with Turkey over accession to the EU must be halted. This was the view stated by SP leader Emile Roemer on Tuesday in the parliamentary debate on the aftermath of the failed coup attempt in Turkey. “The rule of law and freedom of the press are under heavy pressure in Turkey,” noted Roemer. “some 100,000 people have been laid off or suspended. Tens of thousands are under arrest. Press freedom has been destroyed. Last weekend, moreover, dozens of elected mayors were unceremoniously fired. A country where freedom is under such pressure cannot become a member of the European Union. So negotiations must be stopped.”

An incentive plan for organic agriculture is badly needed. For this reason SP Member of Parliament has presented a plan – in the form of what is known in the Dutch parliamentary system as an “initiative note” – to strengthen the sector. “We don’t want agriculture which leads to pollution of the environment, puts our health at risk and harms the welfare of animals,” he says. “Organic agriculture is a good, sustainable alternative and can contribute to better farming. Government after government has unfortunately set the sector back. It’s time rather to provide it with incentives.”

The aftermath of the coup in Turkey has laid bare tensions between population groups which had been below the surface. Politicians such as Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Health and Welfare Minister Edith Schippers are falling over each other to condemn failed integration policies. At the same time we still don’t see even the start of a solution to segregation. Indeed, the established parties – the Labour Party, the Christian Democrats and the centre-right liberals of the VVD – are crying crocodile tears when you consider that they themselves are responsible for this segregation.

Under pressure from the SP, the European Parliament's informal legal advice on the soon to be established internatioal Investment Court System (ICS) is to be made public. Publication of the relevant documents will make possible an open social debate over the proposals, leaving the way open to an official opinion from the European Court of Justice (ECJ).