INVESTIGATE ABUSE OF POWER EUROPEAN COMMISSION

SP Member of Parliament Nine Kooiman and SP MEP Dennis de Jong want clarification about the message that the European Commission is trying to draw more power over the heads of adopted children. A quality Romanian newspaper revealed today that the European Commission has been pressuring researchers to conclude that there is a need for a European Adoption Agency when the underlying research does not support that conclusion. Kooiman: 'We are all aware of the European Commission's desire for more resources and more power, but I would find it terrible that the problems surrounding adoption are used for this. Adopted children in particular deserve extra protection and care.'

Past adoption scandals have prompted Romania to stop intercountry adoptions. Now, efforts would be made to force Romania to reopen its borders to adoptions. The rumors about establishing a European adoption policy have been around for some time. Kooiman: 'I recently asked a number of critical questions about this, but they have not yet been answered. But today's revelation goes even further than I suspected.'

The SP is not in favor of promoting intercountry adoptions in Europe, because the basic principle must be that children can grow up in their original environment as much as possible. Moreover, adoption from abroad is a vulnerable process. Kooiman: 'If it is true that the European Commission manipulates research results, we have a problem. Not only because it is unacceptable that investigations are modified so that Europe can take more power. But especially because it concerns vulnerable children. The best interests of the child must come first, not the interests of the European Commission.'

Kooiman has put written questions to the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the State Secretary for Justice, who deals with adoption. Dennis de Jong has asked the Commission for clarification.

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