In November 2016 the Public Prosecution Department (OM) announced to prepare civil proceedings against the Bandidos Motorcycle Club (MC). The government has to protect the citizens. The freedom of association stops once the encouragement and the use of criminal acts starts. ^{(Dutch only)}

‘Follow your heart.’ Anyone who faces an important choice, will undoubtedly hear this advice at times. Trust your gut feeling and everything will be all right. However, very often our intuition is wrong.  ^{(Dutch only)} 

Last week, the Dutch and Belgian ombudsmen called on their governments to take action in the context of pensions problems for unemployed cross-border workers, aged 65, and living in Belgium. In response to this call, a possible solution by Expertise Centre ITEM is elaborated in this blog.

This blog is only available in Dutch.

Asylum seekers usually do not cross borders with a bag of documents. They have lost their personal belongings or have been confiscated by smugglers. Oral statements are therefore the only proof of origin. ^{(Dutch only)} 

In his decision of September 7th 2017 the State Secretary for Finance approves that under the tax agreements of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates the exemption method is applied. ^{(Dutch only)}

Towards electronic data exchange within the EU: removing administrative obstacles

The increasingly developed electronic data exchange within the European Union could remove the administrative hurdles to the exercise of the European freedoms of movement and cross-border mobility, such as the life certificates, described in this blog, and the so-called certificate of coverage. This development is particularly welcome from a cross-border perspective.

The 30%-facility is regularly discussed in both case-law and politics. The facility is currently under pressure and facing turbulent times. With a potential abolition, which may become reality, particular attention must be paid to the effects and possible alternatives. This blog is only available in Dutch.

In Germany, various chapters of outlaw motorcycle gangs have been prohibited over the last decades. The Netherlands are currently working on a case to effectuate a ban. However, the effectiveness of a ban to tackle (organised) outlaw biker crime remains to be seen. This blog is only available in Dutch.

They say that one cannot have one’s cake and eat it – a rather well-known adage which the proponents of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union were determined to disprove. This article is only available in Dutch.

There is a lot of consternation about Donald Trump and his remark about only accepting the results of the presidential election "If I win". According to Trump, the election is 'rigged' if he looses... This article is only available in Dutch.