EU launches legal action against UK

By Earle Gale in London | China Daily | Updated: 2019-11-18 07:36

The suit claims London should put forward a candidate for the bloc's executive arm

The European Union's executive branch has launched legal action against the United Kingdom that could land British taxpayers with a hefty fine.

The suit, which the European Commission filed on Thursday, claims the UK should have put forward the name of person to serve as the British representative on the commission.

However, the UK has reportedly questioned whether such an appointment is unnecessary given that the nation is scheduled to leave the bloc in the coming weeks.

The commission said in a statement: "The European Commission has ... sent a letter of formal notice to the United Kingdom for breaching its EU treaty obligations by not suggesting a candidate for the post of EU commissioner."

The commission, which comprises 28 people representing the 28 member nations, wants the UK to respond to the charge by next Friday, Reuters reported on Sunday.

The Guardian newspaper said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had sent a letter to the EU on Wednesday evening, a few hours before the legal challenge was launched, claiming he could not suggest a candidate because of strict rules that govern political appointments in the lead-up to a general election.

Julian King, the UK's former ambassador to Ireland and France, had been serving as the nation's representative but his term is now ending. The recently appointed president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wants to have a new executive team in place by Dec 1 but British voters are set to choose a new government on Dec 12 and Parliament is not in session.

The next UK government, whether it is led by Johnson or one of his political rivals, will immediately have to defend itself in the European Court of Justice.

The period around the UK's general election is likely to be busy, especially now that Buckingham Palace has confirmed the queen will host US President Donald Trump and his wife at a reception in early December.

Trump's visit

The Times newspaper says Trump will visit the UK between Dec 2 and Dec 4 for a NATO meeting and to visit to the queen. The Telegraph newspaper noted that it will be the second time Trump and the queen have met in an official capacity this year.

A White House spokesman said: "President Trump looks forward to meeting with the other NATO heads of state and government to review the alliance's unprecedented progress on burden-sharing, including adding more than $100 billion in new defense spending since 2016."

The visit falls a mere 10 days before the UK election and Johnson will likely be hoping that the visit of his powerful friend will help secure him votes in the election. Johnson's Conservative Party needs to secure a majority that allows it to navigate the UK's exit from the EU without being fettered by the British Parliament.

Johnson has said all of his party's candidates are committed to ensuring the Brexit deal he negotiated with the EU becomes a reality. He told the Sunday Telegraph in an issue printed on Saturday that all had pledged their loyalty.

"All 635 Conservative candidates standing at this election - every single one of them - has pledged to me that, if elected, they will vote in Parliament to pass my Brexit deal, so we can end the uncertainty and finally leave the EU," he said.

earle@mail.chinadailyuk.com