Reinier Van Lanschot

Alleen door samenwerking en bruggen bouwen, komen we verder. Ik had een verhelderend gesprek met Peter voor een artikel in het Algemeen Dagblad. Ik wil een klimaatneutrale toekomst, Peter wil een toekomst in de landbouw. En dat blijkt prima samen te kunnen gaan!🌱

I urge the EU to act now:
- Demand a clear explanation from the Ukrainian government
- Protect independent anti-corruption institutions
- Ensure all allegations are investigated fairly and independently

This decision risks undermining Ukraine’s anti-corruption progress, and could seriously damage its EU ambitions.

We have to listen to what civil society experts are saying, who have led the fight against corruption since the Maidan Revolution of 2014.

Ukraine's parliament passes bill destroying independence of key anti-corruption bodies The legislation grants the prosecutor general new powers over investigations led by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and cases led by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's ...

I strongly support Ukraine joining the EU as soon as possible. But true friends are also strong critics.
Today, the Ukrainian Parliament passed a rushed law that would place Ukraine’s key anti-corruption agencies under the control of the Prosecutor General. This would end their independence.

Bigger and better: how to create the Union of the future by 2030 Why we need enlargement and reformThe stakes could not be higher: with Trump, Putin and Xi knocking on our door, with the climate crisis and the digital revolution, Europe will either transform the co...

We have three concrete steps that combines the urgency of enlargement with the necessity of reform. Find the full details here

volteuropa.org/news/bigger-...

We must see enlargement as an opportunity to enhance our security, prosperity and values. It enlarges the single market, enables the green transition, and improves confidence in the EU through motivated and talented populations

EU enlargement is often seen as a challenge, an obstacle to be overcome, or as an ideologically worthy but practically costly exercise.

This is a mistake

Due of the veto system, every decision stalls. Just one opposing country can shut everything down. As long as the EU keeps the veto, decisive action is impossible. Because of the veto, the Union is paralyzed, just when action is most needed.

The outcome? No sanctions, no pressure, no action.
Since the start of the violence in Gaza, EU member states have been divided. Many decisions require unanimity. And time and again, that unanimity fails.

And the EU? It watches in silence. Yesterday, the European Council met to discuss the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the deal that gives Israel trade advantages on the European market.

Netanyahu’s crimes keep piling up: Gaza’s last hospital has been bombed, Palestinians are being shot at aid distribution points, and now Israel has announced camps to detain Palestinians.

Let’s bring to life what former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta calls Europe’s fifth freedom: the freedom of research, innovation, and knowledge!

A Digital Knowledge Act would be a key step in that direction. It’s a plan to modernise EU laws to enable knowledge institutions (universities, libraries, etc.) to offer the same services online as offline: access to knowledge for everyone.

In Strasbourg last week, Nela Riehl, Damian Boeselager and I discussed this issue with experts from all over Europe.

Volt pushes for a future-oriented research agenda. That means tripling EU funding for research and innovation, but also ensuring that public investment leads to public access.

Research drives innovation, but old copyright laws are in the way. They make it harder for people to access the knowledge we need to solve big challenges.

If Europe wants to lead in science and progress, we must break down these barriers and make knowledge open to researchers and teachers.

Much of today’s academic research is locked behind expensive paywalls. 💰 This makes it hard to access data his knowledge.

With tight budgets and costly online materials, universities have to make tough choices and teachers face legal uncertainty when using digital content in the classroom.

That’s good news to start the summer break. But it should only be the beginning.

Properly regulated parental leave must become the standard, not just in the European Parliament, but across all of Europe.

Only then can we build a truly inclusive and equal working environment for all.

Three young colleagues took the initiative last term to change this. And last week Roberta Metsola shared some good news: it will soon be possible to be temporarily replaced during parental leave.

While it’s great to have her so close to me, it’s strange that parental leave is not properly regulated in the European Parliament.

Especially the Parliament should set an example for a work environment where no one has to choose between their job and their role as a parent.

It presented me and other young parents in the European Parliament with a dilemma- spend time with your children or do your duty as an elected official?

I eventually decided to take my daughter with me to the voting sessions in Strasbourg and with her on my belly, I voted on a variety of topics.

For two months she has been in my life: our daughter. Like many other young parents, I have paternity leave.

But how do you take leave when you also have the duty to vote as a European representative?

Remote voting is not possible, and being temporarily replaced is also not allowed.

Voor nu geen direct gevolg, maar toch van grote waarde: bij een regimewissel in Moskou, een toekomstig vredesakkoord met Oekraïne en voor de geschiedsschrijving.

Europees Hof doet uitspraak over Russische rol bij MH17-ramp Voor het eerst komt er vonnis van een internationaal gerechtshof. Aanleiding zijn klachten over Russische mensenrechtenschendingen in Oekraïne.

Rusland is opnieuw aansprakelijk gesteld voor het neerhalen van MH17; niet alleen voor het vermoorden van de bijna 300 slachtoffers, maar ook voor schending van de rechten van de nabestaanden. Door de plek niet veilig te stellen, werd de berging van lichamen tot wel acht maanden vertraagd.

Denmark holds the rotating presidency for the next 6 months and we are very excited. Most specifically, we admire Frederiksen’s steadfast support for 🇺🇦 in both word and deed. But also her willingness to take on Orban and to strip him of the veto he uses to keep Europe from moving forwards!

Verhit debat in Europarlement over het functioneren van Commissievoorzitter Von der Leyen Wantrouwen: De Europese Commissie ligt onder vuur, met voorzitter Ursula von der Leyen in de hoofdrol. In het Europees Parlement verweerde ze zich tegen een motie van wantrouwen naar aanleiding van ha...

Dit is geen moment voor politiek theater. Maar Von der Leyen moet beseffen dat onze vraag om stabiel leiderschap niet betekent dat ze stil kan zitten. We verwachten dat ze de koers corrigeert.

www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...

Trump lijkt het gemunt te hebben op Ierland: moet Dublin verder zonder de Amerikaanse multinationals? Donald Trump lijkt zijn tarievenstrijd te hervatten en Ierland staat hoog op zijn lijst. Met belastingvoordelen wist Ierland grote technologiebedrijven en farmaceuten uit de VS aan te trekken, die Tru...

If you were waiting for a sign: this is it.

It’s time to invest in European (bio)technology and stop relying on Trump, or anyone else.

How can we create the legal freedom our knowledge institutions need to thrive in the 21st century?

Let’s figure it out!

📅 Thurs, 10 July
🕤 9:30–11:30
📍 European Parliament, Strasbourg & online
🔗 Register: lnkd.in/erTHa54T

Too often, public research stays locked away.

Libraries can’t digitise.
Archives can’t preserve.
Universities can’t share.
Europe must do better.

Together with fellow Volt MEPs @dboeselager.volteuropa.org & Nela Riehl, and renowned experts like Christophe Geiger, we’re bringing academics and policymakers together.

This Thursday in Strasbourg, we’re hosting a conversation on the question: How do we unlock knowledge in the digital age? 💡