Sunday

10th Dec 2023

EU states and MEPs clash over international talks

  • EU Council. The Lisbon Treaty has led to a series of fresh tussles between the EU institutions (Photo: Council of European Union)

Member states are considering taking the EU Parliament to court if it does not back down on demands for new powers on EU foreign policy and international agreements, EUobserver has learnt.

Ambassadors representing member states at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday (13 October) signaled their discontent over an inter-institutional agreement between the European Commission and the EU legislature which may give fresh powers to euro-deputies, especially when it comes to international negotiations on behalf of the EU.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The draft report, according to an analysis by the council of ministers' legal services, could lead to a stand-off between EU institutions if adopted as such next week in Strasbourg.

"The court option is not off the table," one EU source said.

Ambassadors will come back to the matter in their meeting next Wednesday, following the MEP's vote in the plenary.

The crux of the matter is to what extent MEPs can be part of EU delegations to multilateral and bilateral meetings and negotiations with other countries. According to the draft, the Parliament wants to have its representatives guaranteed participation in all multilateral, but also bilateral agreements "of particular political importance" - for instance on trade or fisheries.

The EU commission for its part is ready to allow MEPs on board of EU delegations, whenever "logistically, politically and diplomatically" possible.

There would be no automatism, however. The commission wants to avoid situations such as the climate change summit in Copenhagen last December, when 49 MEPs went along, which made it virtually impossible for the head of the delegation to have an overview over what is being said and done on behalf of the EU.

The commission's position is being further complicated by the council's own bid to push a role for the rotating EU presidency in international negotiations - for instance on climate change - despite the Lisbon Treaty clearly stating that the commission is to lead negotiations in the name of the 27 strong bloc.

Portuguese centre-right MEP Paulo Rangel, the euro-deputy in charge of formulating the Parliament's standpoint, was not surprised by the council's opposition.

"There is no problem with the EU commission, the problem is in the Council, they didn't want to participate in negotiations of the inter-institutional agreement. So it was expected they would have reservations, because normally the Council doesn't see happily that other institutions are co-operating," Mr Rangel told EUobserver over the phone from Madeira.

He does not believe that member states will actually take the Parliament to court, but says they are trying to limit the new powers MEPs have acquired in the new treaty.

"Every institution interprets in its own way their new powers given by the Lisbon Treaty and tries to maximise their positions. I don't think this means there is a conflict within the institutions," he said.

"In every state, international organisation, not to mention the EU, the Parliament has the power to control or review the external policy of the executive bodies. It doesn't mean we want to lead negotiations on external relation, but we do have the right to control the way they exercise these powers. According to the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament has the right to approve international agreements and we need all the information necessary to this aim," he argued.

Mr Rangel insisted that MEPs are not trying to take over competences of national governments in the field of foreign affairs: "We follow only foreign policy that is in the hands of the EU, there is no interference in the national dominion of external relations."

The fact that another major foreign policy package – regarding the set-up of the EU's External Action Service (EEAS) - is due to be adopted next week is a "mere coincidence" and the two issues are not linked, he added.

Some room for manouevre still remains, but it will be up to political leaders in Parliament to negotiate, he added.

In a speech on Wednesday, EU commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso stressed the "special partnership" between his institution and the EU legislature and referred to the upcoming signature of the framework agreement in Strasbourg next week. " Let us not miss the opportunity to make it a powerful demonstration of this new partnership spirit," he said.

Member states threaten MEPs and commission with legal case

Member states have threatened to take the European Parliament and Commission to court over what it calls the "illegal" provisions of an inter-institutional agreement which gives MEPs extra powers on international negotiations and greater access to classified EU documents.

Polish truck protest at Ukraine border disrupts war supplies

Disruption at the Polish-Ukrainian border by disaffected Polish truckers is escalating, potentially affecting delivery of military aid to Ukraine. A Polish request to reintroduce permits for Ukrainian drivers has been described as "a shot to the head" during war.

Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law

The Spanish government remains secretive about its negotiations with pro-independence Catalans, but claims the EU Commission has "zero concerns" about their proposed amnesty law for Catalan separatists. The EU executive denies that.

Interview

Why populism appeals to less brainy EU voters

People who voted for Brexit tended to be less clever, research shows, in findings that also shed light on the appeal of EU populists, such as Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who won elections this week.

Opinion

Tusk's difficult in-tray on Poland's judicial independence

What is obvious is that PiS put in place a set of interlocking safeguards for itself which, even after their political defeat in Poland, will render it very difficult for the new government to restore the rule of law.

Opinion

Can Green Deal survive the 2024 European election?

Six months ahead of the EU elections, knocking an 'elitist' climate agenda is looking like a vote-winner to some. Saving the Green Deal and the EU's climate ambitions starts with listening to Europeans who are struggling to make ends meet.

Latest News

  1. How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis
  2. Many problems to solve in Dubai — honesty about them is good
  3. Sudanese fleeing violence find no haven in Egypt or EU
  4. How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?
  5. EU suggests visa-bans on Israeli settlers, following US example
  6. EU ministers prepare for all-night fiscal debate
  7. Spain's Nadia Calviño backed to be EIB's first female chief
  8. Is there hope for the EU and eurozone?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us