Reinier Bijman
Reinier Bijman (b. 1985) is a Dutch journalist. After studying history and philosophy, he attended a masterclass in investigative journalism given in 2011 by Dutch weekly De Groene Amsterdammer, where he now works as an investigative reporter.
Updated: 23 July 2012
With the entry into force of the fiscal pact, many argue that a state's prerogative to determine its income and expenditure will have all but disappeared. In the final article of its euromyths series, the Groene Amsterdammer assesses what room for manoeurvre states now have. 
Eurosceptics argue that EU integration undermines national identities and cultures. But is there such thing as a common “European identity”? In its continuing series on euromyths, De Groene Amsterdammer tries to sound out what Europeans think. 
The EU is often said to regulate on the tiniest things, from the curve of a cucumber to the size of chocolate eggs. But is this a truly useless activity? In its continuing series on euromyths, De Groene Amsterdammer sets the record... straight. 
It’s said that 80% of our laws come from European legislation, a percentage cites by eurosceptics as well as europhiles. In its continuing series on euromyths, De Groene Amsterdammer finds that this figure just doesn’t add up. 
Is the EU really is a cumbersome and expensive bureaucracy comprising vast numbers of civil servants, churning out endless amounts of rules? Dutch weekly newsmagazine De Groene Amsterdammer sets out to find an answer to the question in its euromyths series. 
The EU already has twenty-seven members, and more are knocking on the door. But isn't the process of enlargement undermining its founding principles and energies? De Groene Amsterdammer continues its series on euromyths. 
As Eurosceptics like to point out, the Netherlands is one of the EU’s biggest net contributors, and therefore pays “billions of euros” into Brussels’ coffers. Do the Dutch get anything in return? De Groene Amsterdammer tries to find out in its continuing series on euromyths. 
The EU spends too much money and it does so for pointless projects, goes the usual reproach. But is it really so wasteful? asks Groene Amsterdammer in its third Euromyth investigation. 
Lobbies hovering around Brussels are legion but what is their role? And do they win every time? In the second part of its investigation into euromyths, the Groene Amsterdammer analyses the power relations between EU institutions and pressure groups. 
The EU is criticised for being bureaucratic, wasteful, and in thrall to lobbies... and not just from dyed in the wool eurosceptics. Dutch weekly De Groene Amsterdammer has decided to sift true from the false with a collection of 10 “euromyths”. First up — the democratic deficit.