Latest blog articles

Dr. Aletta Jacobs is, in ieder geval voor de meeste Nederlanders, de belichaming van vrouwenrechten en gelijkheid. Maar hoeveel weet je nou écht van deze beroemde feministe? En waarom hebben we een onderwijsruimte naar deze vrouw vernoemd?

After more than seventy years of the trials in Neurenberg and Tokio, and more than twenty years since the set up of the ad hoc-tribunals for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, we wonder wether something is wrong with the International Criminal Court? ^{(Dutch only)}

In November 2016 the Public Prosecution Department (OM) announced to prepare civil proceedings against the Bandidos Motorcycle Club (MC). The government has to protect the citizens. The freedom of association stops once the encouragement and the use of criminal acts starts. ^{(Dutch only)}

Last month the Council of Ministers debated in its meeting of 16 May 2017 the rule of law situation in Poland. It was the first time that the EU ministers discussed the rule of law in a Member State. 

In Germany, various chapters of outlaw motorcycle gangs have been prohibited over the last decades. The Netherlands are currently working on a case to effectuate a ban. However, the effectiveness of a ban to tackle (organised) outlaw biker crime remains to be seen. This blog is only available in...

In his written answers to the European Parliament as well as orally during the hearing to establish his suitability to become first Vice-President of the European Commission, Commissioner Designate Frans Timmermans promises to ensure a common-sense test for all future legislation. I offer some legal...

It was even featured on Dutch television: the State of the Union by Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission on 14 September 2016... This blog is only available in Dutch. 

We speak of a political dialogue if a National Parliament wants to exchange thoughts with the Commission, or has got objections regarding another substance. From the perspective of the legitimacy of the EU it’s a wonderful thing that National Parliaments exchange thoughts with the Commission and...

In 2011 the European Commission announced it would propose a “European Accessibility Act” in 2012. The “Act” was to be an EU instrument which would seek to ensure a free market in products and services which were accessible to people with disabilities.

There was great anger and protest among Dutch politicians after a nuanced interview with Juncker in NRC Handelsblad van January 9^th, 2016, about the referendum on the EU-Ukraine association agreement. The general opinion was: how does Juncker have the courage to participate in the Dutch discussion...