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NL Step towards a fair tax policy
Since the financial crisis, countries have been cooperating more and more effectively to combat tax evasion. Meanwhile, this cooperation between countries extends beyond the OECD countries. 130 countries are now working together, within the Inclusive Framework, to combat tax evasion. Recently (29 May 2020), State Secretary of Finance Vijlbrief sent the new Fiscal Treaty Policy Memorandum 2020 (NFV) to the Lower House. The NFV sets out the Dutch negotiating position on bilateral tax treaties. It is positive that more attention is being paid to the position of developing countries in such treaties, but a critical eye is still required.
Vucic party wins elections Serbia
Vucic, who was prime minister before becoming president in 2017, is drawing more and more power to himself in Serbia. In the controversial parliamentary elections, which took place on Sunday 21 July, his right-wing populist party, the Serbian Progressive Party (SPS) triumphed in dubious fashion.
What do African migrants themselves want? Time for a sober and effective approach
Billions are being invested to keep migrants and potential migrants in Africa. Whether this has any results is unclear. People continue to take the often life-threatening routes at great risk to build an insecure existence here. It is time to invest in things Africans really need. Let's do that by talking to them and to Africans already in the EU, rather than about them. Migration is of all times. Time for a sober and effective approach.
Building a new narrative on migration including African perspectives
Are EU responses focusing on tackling the 'root causes' of migration effective? Are they sufficient? And how can we improve those migration policies? Last Tuesday, 18 February, we presented our newest report Migration: African perspectives. This report, in cooperation with our partner Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), shows how crucial it is to include African perspectives when discussing migration policies. As was mentioned during the presentation in Brussels: "We should not talk about Africans, but speak with them".
Rich pay less and less tax: and why that contributes to rising inequality
This is one of the main conclusions in Oxfam Novib's "Time to Care" report released today: the number of billionaires has doubled in the last decade, but at the same time the super-rich and multinationals are paying less and less tax. No wonder global inequality has increased. Over 2,000 billionaires in the world are collectively richer than 60% of the world's population, 4.6 billion people. And unfortunately, as a tax haven, the Netherlands plays a bad role in this.
Will you come and do an internship with us?
We are looking for new interns again! Are you looking for an internship in an international, political environment? Then read on quickly.
An European Green Deal for Climate Justice?
Today the European Parliament will organize a hearing for Frans Timmermans to assess his suitability for the position of Executive Vice President responsible for the European Green Deal. This Green Deal aims to set Europe on a path towards becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It should become Europe's hallmark and requires collective ambition, political leadership and a just transition for the most affected. As climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, Timmermans has a very important task to fulfill.
How do we make the national budget SDG-proof?
Since 2014, the FMS has been working intensively with Partos and Woord & Daad (Building Change partnership) to put policy coherence for development firmly on the map in the Netherlands. In this way, we strive for an ambitious and coherent implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015. Following the successful campaign 'Adopt an SDG' and lobbying for an SDG test in the policy-making process, this autumn we are focusing on the UN theme 'Financing for Development'. With Prinsjesdag and the presentation of the national budget for 2020, September was also the perfect time to put policy coherence within the national budget based on the SDGs on the map. Building Change did this with the opinion article 'include the SDGs in the national budget'.
UNited for Climate Justice
Since April 2019, together with FEPS (Foundation for European Progressive Studies) and several other European partners, we have been working on the UNited for Climate Justice initiative. With the climate emergency becoming clearer than ever, it is time for action.
"The SDG Generation - Healing the future in a wicked present"
The SDGs concern everyone
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a hot topic, high on the political agenda and increasingly reflected in government decisions. Building Change is focused on political commitment, but as Hugo Von Meijnfeldt (Dutch SDG coordinator) said, "achieving the SDGs is not only a challenge of the government, but of everyone". Hence, we attended the event "Healing the future in a wicked present" on 13 June to look at commitment to the SDGs from a different perspective, at Windesheim in Zwolle.
