The (in)formation process between the four right-wing parties PVV, NSC, VVD and BBB seems to be making progress again. The chance of cooperation seems greater than in recent weeks. For the first time in a long time, they will sit down again next week. In the meantime, there continues to be friction on the work floor between representatives of the parties concerned.
Last week, outgoing minister and Member of Parliament Christianne van der Wal came under heavy fire for her alleged role in (too) late sending a study into the consequences of the European Nature Restoration Regulation to Parliament. This week there continued to be some controversy surrounding Van der Wal.
Minister against MP Van der Wal
During the (roll-call) vote on the aforementioned regulation, Van der Wal, as a VVD Member of the House of Representatives, spoke out against the regulation, and as outgoing Minister of Nature and Nitrogen she spoke out against the result of that vote (because the Netherlands would then look bad). in Brussels and, moreover, would not achieve anything with such an attitude, was the story). This also led to surprise in the House of Representatives. She will make it clear next week what she will do with the motion to vote against the law.
Directed by Remkes
In the days after the vote, she was again criticized by the BBB. He stated because published documents about the Remkes Commission a series of critical questions to her, about, among other things, the relationship between MOB/Vereniging Leefmilieu and the government, and about the chosen approach in the redevelopment plans for the rural area. The WOO pieces offer a quite revealing insight into the large management machine that the cabinet had set up to Circus Remkes to function as desired.
Card off the table, no bet
Officials discuss what Remkes can and cannot say and offer suggestions for a more farmer-friendly policy. For example, about Van der Wal's 'card': take it off the table, but don't concede anything on the bet, as can be read. The jovial-looking scout can say anything. "Remkes can do no wrong." He is the one at a distance, saying soothing and innocuous things. The implementation of the policy is not up to him, but up to the cabinet, which can decide very differently.
MOB much sought after guest
Back to MOB/Environment. On the one hand, this seems to be receiving more resistance than last year, now that there is a right-wing House of Representatives majority, but for many governments the Nijmegen environmental conglomerate is and remains an expensive but welcome guest. It even goes so far that provinces and other governments even invite the organization to be present as a third interested party at court hearings that they themselves had not planned. This is on the grounds that otherwise they would appear before the Council of State.
Unbalanced
It doesn't seem completely unbalanced after all. Earlier this year, the Nitrogen Claim Foundation had to make every effort to be added as a third party interested party in a procedure by Greenpeace against the state. The government or the civil service apparently has favorites and unwanted ones.
Minister Piet Adema had an easier time in the House of Representatives this week, but still has to find a solution for the problem file on Animal Husbandry. An amendment by the Party for the Animals threatens to make implementation unworkable. Next week the House will discuss further about a way out.
KDW remains too handy
There is no such way out yet, the Critical Deposition Value (KDW). This week a piece of it, again Minister Van der Wal, went to the House of Representatives regarding possible alternatives to the KDW. This has been debated many times in recent years - first by the Ecological Substantiation Task Group, later by other Wageningers (who did not dare to deviate from the TEO) and Jan Willem Erisman and recently by roughly the aforementioned group plus MOB and Agractie . Practically speaking, always with the same outcome. The KDW is too convenient. There are other options, but they take too much time to implement and are less desirable for policy.
Wojciechowski released
In Brussels, a minister also seems to have found himself in a difficult position: the Polish agricultural commissioner Janusz Wojeciechowski. In the Polish media he announced a major relaxation of agricultural policy and the Green Deal approach, to be announced on March 15. A spokesperson for the European Commission immediately distanced himself from these statements, after which there was speculation about the impeachment of the Polish European Commissioner.
Still more adjustments?
But even though this man is a weak Commissioner, he does have the support of 22 of the 27 European Ministers of Agriculture, in any case represents many Eastern and Central European interests and the European Commission is also looking at the coming European elections, while she has not made herself popular in large parts of Europe with the agenda of the now departed Vice-President Frans Timmermans. His successor on this file, the Slovak Maroš Šefčovič, has received the letter from the 22 ministers, but he is keeping quiet for the time being. Further adjustment of the already weakened Green Deal policy does not seem impossible.