Dutch Government will not approve European Fundamental Rights Agency

[Henk Elegeert]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

  Dutch Government will not approve European Fundamental Rights Agency
unless conditions of Dutch Senate are met (press release, pdf):
See: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2006/mar/eu-hra-dutch-senate.pdf


"
Dutch Government will not approve European Fundamental Rights
Agency unless conditions of Dutch Senate are met The Hague, 14 march –

The Dutch Senate today adopted with an overwhelming majority
(unanimously?) a motion requesting the government not to approve the
regulation establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
in its current state. The motion was tabled during the March 7th –debate
on the Agency. The minister for Foreign Affairs and the minister for
Government Reform promised the Senate in that debate that not only they
will do their utmost to change the European Commission’s proposal, but
more important to not give their consent to the European proposal if
certain conditions - requested by the Senate – are not met.

In the debate the ministers made clear that, although they support the
principle of establishing a Fundamental Rights Agency, they strive for
some major changes in the proposal. In combination with the objections
of the Senate to this European proposal, the conditions stipulated by
the Senate and endorsed by the Dutch government for the approval of the
European proposal are: the delimitation of the working field of the
Fundamental Rights Agency to the EU Member States and possibly the
candidate countries; strict limitation of the competences of the Agency
to community law; concluding an agreement with the Council of Europe
regarding its involvement and the avoidance of duplications of
activities before the possible approval of the European proposal to
establish the Fundamental Rights Agency and finally, the assurance that
the current priorities of fighting racism and xenophobia will be respected.

Although apparently many of the objections of the Senate are met by the
government, it was thus far unable to counter the most fundamental
objection of the Senate. Time and again it was made clear by the
Senators they are not convinced of the need and necessity of the
establishment of the Fundamental Rights Agency. Also during the recent
debate, the ministers could not give any clear example of any violation
of fundamental rights during the European legislative process.

...
"

Kortom: De Nederlandse regering wil in staat blijven om jongeren ten
onrechte te kunnen beschuldigen ?

Henk Elegeert

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