Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Politics
Tweede Kamer
association agreement
Ukraine
European Union
Ukraine referendum
Mark Rutte
CDA
VVD
Groenlinks
d66
Wednesday, 22 February 2017 - 10:50
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Parliamentary majority supports PM Rutte's Ukraine deal compromise

Prime Minister Mark Rutte got support from a majority in the lower house of Dutch parliament for amendments he wants to add to the association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine so that the Netherlands can ratify it. In the Tweede Kamer on Tuesday the VVD, PvdA, D66 and GroenLinks supported his solution, NOS reports.

The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, already approved the association agreement. But when a majority voted against the agreement in a referendum last year, a solution had to be sought. The Netherlands is currently the only EU country who hasn't ratified the agreement yet.

Rutte came up with a compromise in which amendments would be added to the treaty to ease the no-voters' concerns about the treaty. These amendments include that the treaty is not a stepping stone for the Ukraine to become a EU Member State and that it does not bind EU countries to provide military support to Ukraine, among other things.

The leaders of other EU countries already agreed to these amendments. Now that the Tweede Kamer gave the go ahead, it is only the Senate that still has to consider them. It is not yet clear whether a majority in the Eerste Kamer will vote for the amendments. According to NOS, the CDA plays a clear role here. In the Tweede Kamer, the CDA voted against the amendments, but it is possible that the CDA senators will support the compromise.

It is unlikely that this will happen before the elections on March 15th. It takes on average about three months for a bill to pass through the Eerste Kamer.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • PostNL to increase package delivery fees
  • Widespread criticism on new permanent coronavirus law
  • Video: At least four injured in fire at migrant workers' home in Velp
  • Tropical heat to hit Netherlands by Wednesday; Heatwave likely
  • Schiphol chaos, travel fever caused unprecedented traffic on European roads: ANWB
  • Feyenoord put 5 goals past Vitesse to top Eredivisie; AZ victorious after disappointing week

Top stories

  • Video: At least four injured in fire at migrant workers' home in Velp
  • Tropical heat to hit Netherlands by Wednesday; Heatwave likely
  • Schiphol chaos, travel fever caused unprecedented traffic on European roads: ANWB
  • Fatal accident near Lekkerkerk could be connected to discovery of two bodies in Zoetermeer
  • Dozens of people fight at Ter Apel reception center, one taken to hospital
  • Jury finds Dutch man Aydin C. guilty of extortion in Amanda Todd case

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content