27/06/2014

EU Set To Ignore Britain In Commission Appointment

EU leaders meeting in Brussels are expected to confirm former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker as the next president of the European Commission, despite strong opposition From the UK.

The nomination is expected today and breaks the traditional way of choosing the Commission chief, who until now has always been chosen by consensus of the EU's national heads of government.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is against Mr Juncker because he thinks the 59-year-old veteran is to much in favour of a closer political union and might block the EU reform he wants.

However Mr Cameron's stance has left him increasingly isolated at a two-day summit of the European Council, after the Netherlands and Sweden dropped their opposition.

Mr Juncker is the candidate of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which won the recent European elections.

Mr Cameron said: "The European elections showed there is huge disquiet about the way the European Union works, and yet the response I believe is going to be wrong.”

(CVS)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

04 November 2014
UK Warned Over Interest Charges If EU Payment Deadline Missed
The European Commission has warned that the UK will face charges of more than £3.5 million if it misses the 01 December deadline, for a £1.7 billion payment it has been asked to make to the European Union. It is understood that David Cameron has said the UK has "no intention" of paying the money.
09 June 2014
David Cameron To Join Leaders Over EU Future
Prime Minister David Cameron is to join European leaders in Sweden to talk about the future of Europe and the presidency of the European Commission. Present will be German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has publicly backed former Luxembourg premier minister Jean-Claude Juncker to head the European Commission.
28 May 2003
Labour defends its position on European Convention
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said today that a new European constitution would "not significantly change" the relationship between the EU and its member nations, adding that it would be another year until the final version is finalised.
13 June 2005
Blair to remain “firm” EU rebate
Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that he will be “diplomatic but firm” with European leaders over the issue of the UK’s European Union rebate. The Prime Minister, who was in Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, was speaking ahead of the forthcoming European summit, which takes place in Brussels on June 16 and 17.
01 June 2004
Beware 'extremists', Tories urge ahead of Euro poll
Tory leader Michael Howard has appealed to UK voters to reject "extremist" alternatives – such as the UK Independence Party – for June's European elections. Mr Howard is keen not to leak Eurosceptic votes to the UKIP and appealed for Conservatives to rally behind his party's vision of Europe - which he declared "puts Britain first".