Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-001191/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE)
As the Guardian of the Treaties, the Commission has the duty to ensure the enforcement of EU law, including the principles of non-discrimination and free movement. However, newly declassified documents from the Dutch ministry of education reveal serious and systemic discrimination and administrative abuse against Romanian students in the Netherlands, perpetrated by DUO (the Dutch student finance agency) and overlooked by the Dutch ombudsman.
Since 2019, Romanian students legally studying and working in the Netherlands have been arbitrarily denied financial aid, in violation of EU regulations. Official Dutch institutions confirmed that these students met all legal requirements, yet DUO continued to exclude them on the basis of nationality. The declassified documents, officially acknowledged by the Dutch Parliament, expose an institutional effort to justify these illegal practices rather than protect the affected students.
Given the gravity of these findings:
- 1.What measures will the Commission take to ensure that the Dutch authorities are held accountable for these violations?
- 2.Will the Commission initiate an official investigation into this case and demand corrective actions from the Netherlands?
- 3.How will the Commission prevent such systemic discrimination against EU citizens in the future?
Submitted: 20.3.2025