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UK must keep crime veto, MPs say UK 'to keep EU crime policy veto'
(about 9 hours later)
The UK must retain its right of veto over EU cross-border crime policies, an influential committee of MPs has said. The UK will keep its right to veto cross-border EU crime policies, Tony Blair's spokesman has said.
The European Union argues the fight against terrorism highlights the need to be able to take majority decisions. The EU argues that the fight against terrorism raises the need for member states to be able to act more quickly by taking majority decisions.
But the Commons home affairs committee said any benefits to be had were not enough to justify "such a major transfer of power" from member states. But the prime minister's spokesman said the UK would "retain control" of its law and order policy.
Instead of arguing over institutional change, it said the EU should focus on practical measures to tackle crime. The Commons home affairs committee says any benefits from the EU's plans do not justify "a major transfer of power".
EU-wide judicial moves must be agreed unanimously by all 25 states and that can lead to lengthy delays. 'Always our position'
'Transfer of power' Currently EU-wide judicial moves must be agreed by all 25 states, which can lead to long delays.
Some states want national vetoes to be replaced with qualified majority voting (QMV) - a system weighted according to countries' size and under which no individual state holds a veto. Some members want the national veto to be replaced with qualified majority voting (QMV) - a system weighted according to countries' size and under which no individual state holds a veto.
QMV is one of the proposals which some want to salvage from the failed European Constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. Much of the debate is taking place without a sound analysis of the problems John DenhamChairman, home affairs committee
Much of the debate is taking place without a sound analysis of the problems John Denham MPCommittee chairman However, Mr Blair's spokesman said: "It's always been our position that we will retain control of law and order policy and that is what we will do."
But in its report, the Commons committee said: "The evidence we have seen does not persuade us that, as things stand at present, there are sufficient benefits in terms of tackling crime, either here in the UK or across the EU, to justify such a major transfer of power away from individual member states." QMV on law and order issues is one of the proposals which some want to salvage from the failed European Constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
If the UK lost its veto, it could mean Parliament ended up having to pass laws on sensitive issues that it had not wanted, the report said. It will be discussed at summit of EU home affairs ministers later this month.
It said June's meeting of EU home affairs ministers should instead concentrate on practical measures to improve co-operation between police, judicial systems and other agencies tackling international crime. The UK, the Republic of Ireland and Germany have led the campaign against giving up sovereign rights over criminal justice affairs.
Constitution revival? 'Not persuaded'
The UK, the Republic of Ireland and Germany led the campaign against giving up sovereign rights over criminal justice affairs. In a report, the home affairs committee said that, instead of arguing over institutional change, the EU should focus on practical measures to tackle crime.
Germany, the current EU president, is expected to try to relaunch the European Constitution at a summit on 21 June. The UK will argue for a slimmed-down treaty instead. It added: "The evidence we have seen does not persuade us that, as things stand at present, there are sufficient benefits in terms of tackling crime, either here in the UK or across the EU, to justify such a major transfer of power away from individual member states."
If the UK lost its veto, it could mean Parliament ended up having to pass laws on sensitive issues that it had not wanted, the report added.
It said the EU home summit should instead concentrate on practical measures to improve co-operation between police, judicial systems and other agencies.
Committee chairman John Denham said: "We have been struck by the way in which the debate about EU action on crime and illegal migration is dominated by different views of the future political shape of the EU, instead of identifying what would be most effective in tackling these major European challenges.Committee chairman John Denham said: "We have been struck by the way in which the debate about EU action on crime and illegal migration is dominated by different views of the future political shape of the EU, instead of identifying what would be most effective in tackling these major European challenges.
"Much of the debate is taking place without a sound analysis of the problems, or a reliable assessment of the effectiveness of current action.""Much of the debate is taking place without a sound analysis of the problems, or a reliable assessment of the effectiveness of current action."
Wide-ranging institutional reform was not necessary to achieve more effective action, he added. But the report, Justice and Home Affairs issues at European Union Level, said there was scope for common standards in some areas of criminal justice and legal systems.
But the report, Justice and Home Affairs issues at European Union Level, said there was some scope for common standards in some areas of criminal justice and legal systems.