Netherlands-Suriname Relations: The Netherlands: Surinamese president to address Dutch parliament

Surinamese president Chan Santokhi will address the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, during his visit to the Netherlands next month. An address to parliament is a rarely awarded diplomatic honor in the Netherlands and marks the restoration of good ties with Suriname, Trouw reports.

Santokhi and part of his government will visit The Hague and Prime Minister Mark Rutte on September 8 and 9.

The relationship between the Netherlands and Suriname was under pressure for some time because of the presidency of Desi Bouterse, who was convicted of cocaine trafficking in the Netherlands. Restoration of this relationship between the Netherlands and one of its former colonies started when Santokhi won the election in May last year and got sworn in as president in

Read more at: Surinamese president to address Dutch parliament | NL Times

EU Economy: Netherlands' Central Bank President Knot: "European economy 'very much okay'

Netherlands Parliament and offices of the PM in the Hague

Klaas Knot, the president of the Netherlands’ Central Bank, said Europe’s economy was “very much okay” despite worries over trade wars, slowing growth and uncertainty over Brexit.

Speaking on Dutch television last Sunday, Knot, who also sits on the European Central Bank’s governing council, said subdued inflation was troubling, but it was “premature” to talk about a possible recession.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi acknowledged on Thursday that economic growth in the euro zone was likely to be weaker than earlier expected due to the fall-out from factors ranging from China’s slowdown to Brexit.

Knot, usually viewed as one of the more hawkish members of the governing board, said the bloc would see “a few quarters of slightly lower growth, and that’s mostly due to foreign trade.”
Internal demand remained “very good”, he said.

A Reuters report by by Toby Sterling; editing by John Stonestreet

The Netherlands - Ukraine: E.U. Reaches Compromise With the Netherlands on Closer Ukraine Ties

Referendum:PM Rutte reaches nebulous EU compromise

European Union leaders reached a compromise with the Netherlands on Thursday that should allow the bloc to enact an agreement on closer ties with Ukraine, regarded as a landmark deal to counter the influence of Russia.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands said on Thursday that he now had the necessary guarantees to start pushing the agreement through his country’s Parliament and to overcome the objections of Dutch voters, who voted against the agreement in a referendum in April.

The Netherlands has been the lone holdout in ratifying the agreement within the European bloc’s 28 member nations.

“I am going to fight to get a majority” in Parliament, Mr. Rutte said. “We will have to see. It won’t be easy. We’ll have to work hard for it.”

If it is approved, the deal would allow the European Union to show a unified front against Russia, and to boost trade and cooperation with Ukraine, which has found it difficult to remain out of Moscow’s sphere of influence.

“The E.U. can now keep a united front against the destabilizing policies of Russia,” Mr. Rutte said.

The agreement between Ukraine and the European Union had looked like a done deal until earlier this year, when the Dutch government was forced into a nonbinding, or advisory, referendum. The rejection by voters had left the bloc in a conundrum because the agreement needed unanimous approval from member countries.

Under the compromise, Mr. Rutte obtained assurances the agreement was not a step toward European Union membership for Ukraine, and that it could not be used as one in the future. The deal does not provide a collective-security guarantee or extra money for Ukraine, and it also requires the Ukrainian government to do more to counter corruption.

The Dutch prime minister said enacting the deal was essential for national and geopolitical reasons, and pointed to Russia’s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and its annexation of Crimea.

The Netherlands will hold national elections on March 15, and the move to sidestep the advisory referendum results with an updated agreement might not play well with an electorate that has been increasingly prone to snubbing the political elite.

In a post on Twitter, Geert Wilders, a lawmaker known for his opposition to Islam, immigration and the European Union, posted a photo of Mr. Rutte with the Dutch words for “Resign and go.”

Mr. Rutte also realized the challenge ahead.

“This is not an election-winning point,” he said. “It is not a vote winner. But my job is ultimately to make decisions in the interest of the Netherlands and our security.”

Note EU-Digest: Details of the compromise were not announced and the statement by PM Rutte of the Netherlands on this so-called compromise are still nebulous .

Read more: E.U. Reaches Compromise With the Netherlands on Closer Ukraine Ties - The New York Times

Ukraine - The Netherlands:: Dutch to demand limits on Ukraine deal at EU summit- by Gabriela Baczynska

Dutch Referendum on Ukraine:PM  Mark Rutte 

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will ask European Union leaders on Thursday December 16 to rule out Ukraine joining the bloc for now and to place clear limits on the rewards they offer Kiev under a landmark cooperation agreement, diplomatic sources told Reuters.

Failure to meet the Dutch demands would jeopardize the agreement, which establishes closer political ties and envisages a gradual freeing-up of trade to bind Ukraine closer to western Europe and draw it away from Russia's orbit.

Rutte is trying to free himself from a political bind after Dutch voters, concerned about the costs, rejected the so-called association agreement in a referendum in April. If his demands are met, he plans to go back to his parliament to win an endorsement that would overwrite the negative vote.

Read More: Exclusive: Dutch to demand limits on Ukraine deal at EU summit | Reuters

The Netherlands: Dutch PM criticized for "vagueness" on Royal family tax files - by Janene Pieters

A number of parties in the Tweede Kamer - the lower house of Dutch parliament - criticized Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the "vague" manner in which he handles files on the Royal family.
 
According to the parties, Rutte was not transparent in his information and a series of incidents involving the royals is bad for support of the monarchy, NU.nl reports.

The parties point to an alleged tax deal in which the Royal family is compensated for the taxes they pay, controversial sales of art, high maintenance costs of their  Golden Carriage and the their yacht the Groene Draeck and a high allowance crown princess Amalia will receive when she turns 18.

D66 leader Alexander Pechtold accused Rutte of making the King unnecessarily vulnerable by not being open, fair and transparent" about the Royals.
Read more: Dutch PM criticized for "vagueness" on Royal family files | NL Times

The Netherlands: Dutch MPs visiting Kurdistan assess Netherlands’ part in ISIS war- by Judit Neurink

A Dutch parliamentary delegation visited Erbil, the Kurdish capital this week where they saw the Netherland’s contribution to the war against the Islamic State (ISIS) through helping the Peshmerga forces and whether to decide later this year to extend the mission.

“It is great to see how Dutch military are contributing directly to the fight of the Peshmerga against ISIS,” said Social Democrat parliamentarian Michiel Servaes. “We know that explosives cause most of the victims, so it’s great that in this way you can literally save lives.”

The Netherlands has trained Peshmerga troops and supplied equipment such as radios, bomb disposal equipment, helmets and vests.

Currently Dutch military trainers are training a group of female Kurdish combatants who impressed the MPs on their visit.

Part of the training includes first aid administration. “Again we contribute to save lives, as we hear that too many die for lack of knowledge how to treat the wounded,” Servaes said.

The delegation, representing all but one of the Dutch parties in the parliament, members of the Foreign Affairs and Defence committees, met with different Kurdish high officials and visited the Kurdistan parliament.

A trip to Baghdad was cancelled because of the ongoing unrest and the storing of the Iraqi parliament by protestors.

The delegation was told by their Kurdish hosts that it takes too long for the Dutch military help especially bomb disposal equipment to reach the troops, Joel Voordewind of the Christian Union stated. “They waited six months for the radios to arrive. And for the explosive’s clearing materials, recently a tender has been published, while we know that some seventy percent of the wounded are the result of those devises.”

Servaes explained that they were in Kurdistan to see the work of the Dutch military mission a year after the parliamentary defense committee decided to send deploy them to the war against ISIS by helping local forces.

The delegation found the outcome of the mission’s work satisfactory and will decide whether it will be extended.

Servaes of the Social Democrats said meanwhile, that as the Kurdish forces have reversed the initial ISIS advance and the group weakened, it is time to start thinking about after ISIS.

“The Kurds are almost done against ISIS, and there are signs ISIS is internally collapsing. We have to think how to prevent a vacuum,” he said. “We have to change over to stabilisation policies, to make the recaptured areas liveable again, especially for the Sunni communities. So that we will not have another ISIS.”

This, he said, includes solving the continued disputes between Erbil and Baghdad as well as internal Kurdish political impasse. “I think internationally the pressure should be increased on Baghdad to break the impasse.”

“I gave off the message, that although the Kurds do justly get support from the international community, they must realise that they should focus on internal issues too, like the expired term of Kurdish president and keeping Goran from the political process.” Servaes added.

The Dutch delegation told the Kurdish government that they recognize the external threat posed to the region, but in the meantime it was important for Kurdish parties to “put their act together” in order for the international support to continue.



Read more: Dutch MPs visiting Kurdistan assess Netherlands’ part in ISIS wa

Netherlands Judiciary: Debt collection agencies poorly regulated and out of control

Dutch Collection Agencies are  out of control

Dutch consumers who find themselves in a debt collection process are not only harassed  by the debt collection agencies,who are poorly regulated in the Dutch judicial system, but will  usually end up deeper in debt.

This shocking finding has become evident from an analysis made by the Dutch Consumer Association (Nederlandse Consumentenbond) of complaints they received at their "Debt Complain Center hotline" which was opened in the spring of this year. On this Hotline more than 200 personal, often deeply disturbing and emotional stories, have disclosed how inhumane people are treated .

The Consumers Association says the situation is totally out of control and Bart Combée, Director of the Dutch consumer association says: “the human dimension in this process is completely lost.

When consumers want to contact the collection agency, they often get no answer or the door slammed in their face. If the collection train starts running, the consumer can usually not stop it, other than by paying”.

The most common complaints about the Dutch debt collection processes are, rapidly increasing and not clearly specified costs. Threatening letters about wage garnishment, foreclosure sales or lawsuits. Even while  the debt collection agencies re not empowered to do so, or when it only concerns a debt of a few euro's.

The Consumer Association wants the Judiciary to establish clear and precise regulations concerning the
procedures to be followed by Dutch collection agencies and also want the Judiciary to firmly intervene when collection agencies violate the rules. It also recommends that companies, collection agencies and bailiffs should be more accessible and willing to offer more customization to the process.

It also wants to see that the intimidating behavior of the collection agencies to be addressed immediately..

Bart Combée, Director of the Consumer association says: 'The human dimension is totally lost in this particular area of the law".

When consumers want to contact the collection agency, they often get no answer, or the door slammed in
their face.

In the Netherlands - once the collection train starts rolling, it wont stop, other than by paying, usually a lot more than expected. This regardless if one disputes a claim".

Dutch law on debt collection (under the hereditary responsibility clause)  even allows claims to be made to people whose debts are not theirs, but debts owed by family members ( parents) who had deceased  

These outdated Dutch legal laws, unfortunately, still remain on the Judicial books in the Netherlands The Dutch Consumer Agency  wants the Netherlands parliament to intervene in this matter but so far noting really concrete or significant has happened.

 Almere-Digest

The Netherlands: Kurdish Protesters Occupy Dutch Parliament

Hundreds of Kurdish protesters have occupied the Dutch Parliament building and are calling for more action to combat the Islamic State terror group.

The official Twitter feed of The Hague police says the demonstration late Monday is peaceful and that officers are in talks with the protest leaders. Police advised the public not to go to the square outside Parliament.

National broadcaster NOS posted video on its website showing chanting protesters inside the Parliament building holding a banner that said in Dutch "Stop the silence. Support Kobani," a reference to the Syrian town close to the Turkish border that was under attack Monday by Islamic State fighters.

Note EU-Digest: Hopefully Mr. Rutte called Mr.Erdogan and asked him why he is sitting on his hands instead of using all the tanks he lined up on the Turkish border facing Kobani  ?

 Read MoreKurdish Protesters Occupy Dutch Parliament - ABC News

The Netherlands - Ukraine: Geert Wilders' goes on rampage in Dutch Parliament during Ukraine Debate

Mr. Geert Wilders of the Nationalist - Anti-Muslim Party For Freedom (PVV) went into a verbal rampage during the Ukraine debate in the Dutch parliament and presented the following motion on behalf of his party  on the situation Ukraine

"whereas the European Commission proposes to give billions of euros of European money, including Dutch money, to Ukraine, believes that not one penny of Dutch tax money should be given to Ukraine, and requests that the government makes certain that not one penny of Dutch tax money goes to Ukraine, and proceeds to the order of the day".  (The motion was translated from Dutch into English by Don Hank)

EU-Digest

The Netherlands: While Dutch Taxpayers suffer Yahoo, Dell Swell Netherlands’ euro 9.5 Trillion Tax Haven - Jesse Drucke

Inside Reindert Dooves’s home, a 17th- century, three-story converted warehouse along the Zaan canal in suburban Amsterdam, a 21st-century Internet giant is avoiding taxes.

The bookkeeper’s home office doubles as the headquarters for a Yahoo, Inc offshore unit. Through this sun-filled, white- walled room, Yahoo has taken advantage of the law to quietly funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in global profits to island subsidiaries, cutting its worldwide tax bill.

The Yahoo arrangement illustrates that the the Netherlands in the heart of a continent better known for social welfare than corporate welfare, has emerged as one of the most important tax havens for multinational companies. Now, as a deficit-strapped Europe raises retirement ages and taxes on the working class, the Netherlands’ role as a euro 9.5 ($13trillion) relay station on the global tax-avoiding network is prompting a backlash.

The Dutch Parliament has debated the fairness of its tax system this year as lawmaker from several parties, including members of the country’s governing coalition, say they want to remove a stain on the nation’s reputation.

The European Commission, the European Union’s executive body, declared a war on tax avoidance and evasion, which it said costs the EU 1 trillion euros a year. The commission advised member states -- including the Netherlands -- to create tax-haven blacklists and adopt anti-abuse rules. It also recommended reforms that could undermine the lure of the Netherlands, and hurt a spinoff industry that has mushroomed in and around Amsterdam to abet tax avoidance.

Attracted by the Netherlands’ lenient policies and extensive network of tax treaties, companies such as Yahoo,Google Inc, Merck & Co. and Dell Inc. have moved profits through the country. Using techniques with nicknames such as the “Dutch Sandwich,” multinational companies routed 10.2 trillion euros in 2010 through 14,300 Dutch “special financial units,” according to the Dutch Central Bank. Such units often only exist on paper, as is allowed by law.

Unfortunately so far, all the politicians have done is talk and more talk. The question one would ask now is do Governments really want to change their tax structures or is it all political hogwash?

EU-Digest