War in Ukraine was not initially on the agenda, but was added to by President Zelensky’s visit to Brussels. He has received a spectacular welcome there, but according to Cats, not all member states are looking forward to his arrival.
‘Hungary is one of the member states that is concerned about a growing effect of even more European aid. On the other hand, there are some Member States that want to go faster, such as the Baltic States and Poland. For example, they also want Ukraine to become a member of the EU as soon as possible.’
A number of EU countries are therefore not in favor of easing entry requirements for Ukraine. “There’s a useful PR campaign going on here,” says Cats.
Green Deal Business Plan (GDIP)
In addition to Zelensky and the war in Ukraine, a European Commission support plan for businesses is also being discussed today. The European Commission wants to offer Member States the opportunity to make sustainable investments in the business community. That proposal is part of the GDIP, the industrial plan of the Green Deal. This requires a new fund, from which Member States can receive grants and loans.
The Netherlands supports this idea, “but doesn’t want to create a new money fund for it,” says political journalist Leendert Beekman. ‘Rutte prefers to see the money come from existing jars, like an ‘old’ crown jar. Kaag and Rutte are diametrically opposed on this one, so it’s a sensitive issue.’
However, there are concerns in the House of Representatives about the investment climate. The GDIP is seen as a counterpart to the US Inflation Reduction Act. It is therefore clear that an answer must be formulated. According to Beekman, it has become somewhat of a political issue.
Migration
There are also huge contradictions within the coalition in the field of migration. The VVD and the CDA oppose D66 and ChristenUnie. The VVD and the CDA believe that it is more important that the member states can take certain decisions themselves and then finance them themselves, such as the erection of border barriers. D66 and ChristenUnie prefer to address the issue of migration at a European level.
According to Beekman, the Netherlands is strongly engaged in several areas, such as returning rejected migrants, improving control at Europe’s external borders and complying with the Dublin regulation.