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Biggest loser in the political fray, and not just because I delight in writing it, is Geert Wilders. ...A proposal to choose for only one national passport, pressuring Brussels for tighter immigration limitations, a burqa ban in public spaces, no party gives these ideas merit any longer.

Hopefully. Just on the same day came this, which gives opportunity to undo more of the anti-immigration measures:

DutchNews.nl - The Netherlands criticised for high residency permit fees

The Netherlands charges non-EU nationals too much money for a residency permit, the European Court of Justice said on Thursday. The case was brought by the European Commission.

While legislation allows member states to set their own fees, the cost should not be so high that applicants cannot afford a residency permit and therefore don't apply, the court said

It described the Dutch fees - currently between €188 and €830 - as 'excessive and disproportionate', pointing out that even the cheapest permit is seven times the price of a Dutch id card.

The Netherlands must now take action to meet the Commission's objections or face a fine, a statement from the European Court said.

(The comments point out that the fees were raised to €350-1250+300 since the start of the litigation.)

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Fri Apr 27th, 2012 at 04:36:13 AM EST
Increased fees for residency permits were also part of the 2010 political pact with Wilders. Any sensible person would have known it would never have held at the EU-level. We'll see if the fees will be quickly and silently dropped; it wouldn't surprise me too much, the Dutch government has already built up too much political debt in Brussels.
by Nomad (Bjinse) on Fri Apr 27th, 2012 at 04:49:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Increased fees for residency permits were also part of the 2010 political pact with Wilders.

The ruling was, however, based on the pre-Wilders levels, which were at that level at least back to 2008 from what I could find. Were they raised sometime between introduction and 2010, or was it €830 max from the start? (I do remember that the fees were one point of criticism when the mandatory tests were introduced, but I wonder whether the EU's 'excessive and disproportionate' judgement applies to the original levels.)

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Fri Apr 27th, 2012 at 05:22:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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