EU veto reforms pause
The European Union is once again divided. This time a proposal to give up member states’ veto right in counter terrorism and cross-border crimes is seeing much resistance. The United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany are the main opponents, with Finland (the current president of the EU) and Belgium being in favour. Veto rights are causing many delays in the EU, and just 1 member state can veto an agreement even when the other 24 EU states are in favour. A good example is Poland’s veto over EU-Russian talks. Poland has also blocked a EU-wide prisoner transfer system.
The veto issue was clearly highlighted during the justice meeting itself when Poland blocked plans to set up an EU-wide prisoner transfer system, allowing offenders sentenced in foreign EU nations to serve sentences in their home countries.
Polish deputy justice minister Andrzej Duda explained Warsaw does not like the “automatic” nature of the repatriation process, saying “we would rather accept [prisoners], than be given them” Polish agency PAP reports.
But Danish justice minister Lene Espersen said the remaining 24 member states were puzzled by the Polish refusal, which “did not bow to any pressure” and which comes on the back of Poland’s recent veto of EU-Russia treaty talks.
Read the full article at EUobserver by clicking here.
Administrator @ December 5, 2006