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Brussels warns the Netherlands against thinning public media

by AI | 24.Jul 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The European Commission does have some criticism on the state of the rule of law in the Netherlands.

European Commissioner for European Values Věra Jourová has presented the 2024 rule of law reports. PHOTO TASR - Jaroslav Novák

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BRUSSELS (ANP) – The Netherlands must continue to support the quality of public broadcasting and also strengthen the conditions for public media “to uphold journalistic standards,” according to the European Commission. The commission is concerned about the “ongoing efforts to reform public broadcasting.” The trend of newspapers, magazines, and broadcasters gradually becoming part of an increasingly smaller number of media companies is also worrisome to the commission.

In its new annual report on the state of the rule of law in EU countries, the Netherlands also receives recommendations to address workload and staff shortages in the judicial services. The commission is further cautious about the progress the Netherlands has made with previously made recommendations that the Netherlands must ensure that retiring politicians do not immediately take their contacts and acquired knowledge to a new job in, for example, the private sector. The Netherlands has made “some progress” on this. As far as the commission is concerned, there should be a clear cooling-off period of two years and clearer rules around lobbying to prevent “revolving door” abuses.

The commission is also critical of the compensation of parents involved in the child care subsidy scandal. The process to compensate these victims is proceeding too slowly, according to the commission. Even though the cabinet, parliament, and judiciary are all working to rectify the wrongful accusation that these parents committed fraud. But many initiatives remain in a preparatory phase, the commission notes, including those aimed at preventing recurrence.

The commission has made an analysis of each EU country. This is the fifth time such an annual report has been released. Compared to some other EU countries, the commission is still mild about the Netherlands. The purpose of the reports is that in the long run, the entire European Union will lay a stronger foundation under the rule of law.

For the first time, analyses have also been made of a number of EU candidate member states. Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia are the furthest along in the accession process among the EU candidates. These countries can, the commission thinks, benefit from the recommendations at an early stage in this way.

(24 July 2024)

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