European Union general discussion

[Geoffrey Howe]

I thought it would be useful to have a thread for news and discussion relating to the European Union, since there doesn't seem to be one yet.


The main EU treaties require member states to prosecute cases involving EU funds (misappropriation etc.). There is a federal detection agency, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), but no federal power to initiate proceedings. This creates some difficulty if member states do not want to prosecute suspects - in Hungary, for example, the courts are largely controlled by those they should be prosecuting... Anyway, this causes some splits in the EU as wealthier nations are reluctant to contribute, fearing the money will simply subsidise fraud.

Recently, a new body, the European Public Prosecutors' Office (EPPO), has been formed and can file charges over criminal misuse of funds as well as customs fraud. It is based in Luxembourg and headed by a woman who used to run Romania's anti-corruption agency. It is overseen by a prosecutor from each participating country who in groups of three will decide whether or not to file charges. The trials will be run by member states' prosecutors but they will be approved by the EPPO.

However, this does not go the whole way. 5 of 27 countries have not signed up to this, notably Hungary and Poland. (Sweden says it will join soon.) The prosecutions will still take place in national courts. But the EPPO's independence will hopefully help: it has already rejected 6 Bulgarian nominees. Finally, prosecutors are not actually allowed to supervise cases involving their own country; and cannot be recalled.

The first cases should be decided by the end of the year. Source.

[Geoffrey Howe]

The creation of a European demos is absolutely essential if we are to preserve a legitimate EU though and not shed more members. When the UK Brexited Commission officials tried to spin it one way or the other but fundamentally, Brexit is a failure of the very post-modern neo-Kafkean EU as much as it is of the outdated British political class and system. I don't actually think the "Big Lobbies" in Brussels is the issue : the high ranking officials, politicians and big decision makers are, who lack expertise and adaptability especially with the digital revolution. If EU citizens were more engaged there would be fire up their arse enough to have to innovate to survive. But Brussels is too "cushy" for the moment for people like Sassoli who just go to visit the right people and keep their job.

Totally agreed. Until EU citizens begin to think of themselves as European before French/German/Spanish etc., and see themselves as primarily represented in the European Parliament rather than the Assemblée Nationale/Bundestag etc. the EU will seriously struggle to command legitimacy. How you bring this about I really don't know. But until it is brought about it is difficult to conduct supra-national affairs. The lack of media coverage of EU affairs is a testament to this: how many people can name members of their own Cabinet, let alone the European Commission or MEPs? This is why I am increasingly sceptical of the "European project." On the other hand, people seem to support the concept of Europeans working together for their common interests, as a bulwark against America/Russia/China - see notably the 1975 referendum here.

Of course, it doesn't help when a has-been politician like Giscard (a man I generally admire) says that opposition to the European Constitution is just an "error which ought to be corrected."