When it comes to EU outside lands, safety and defense policy, there must be a unanimity among members. Hungary likes to take vetos, neutral states can withdraw from the affair thanks to the “constructive abstinence”. This makes fast consensus difficult. Brussels can be overtaken by reality.
Some want to stick to the principle of unanimity to maintain national interests, such as Harald Vilimsky, head of delegation of the FPö in the EU parliament: “Shaking according to the principle of Unanimity is deteriorating for Brussels,” he told the “Crown”. In the current situation, the “importance of unanimity,” says Vilimsky, “especially for neutral states such as Austria”.
Andreas Maurer, political scientist at the University of Innsbruck, sees no change. In Article 31 of the EU Treaty, the instrument of “constructive abstinence” is intended for neutral states. This does not agree with decisions, but it doesn’t block them either. Countries such as Hungary, on the other hand, consciously block decisions by a veto and therefore prevent the necessary measures.
Andreas Schied, head of the Spö delegation, said to “Krone”: “Instead of speaking with the always required to speak a voice,” the debates of the EU foreign policy often sound like a confusion. We can no longer pay that.
The situation is serious’ and we must have a serious debate about whether the rigid principle of unanimity does not eventually harm our reputation in the world and ultimately also our own safety interests. However, from the perspective of a neutral country, questions about defense must be excluded, “Schieder continued.
Helmut Brandstätter of the Neos has long argued to rely on majority decisions about questions about foreign policy and “released the bonds of unanimity”. Brandstätter for the “Crown”: “We experience again how the principle of unanimity blocks the EU: Orbán has already announced that they are torpedoing the special EU and the urgent required Ukraine support on Thursday-an example of how a single country takes the entire union in gijvolte.”
Europe must now appear with a strong voice – instead of 27 different. “We can only solve the biggest challenges of our time together, with a united and determined Europe that is respected worldwide.”
“Recommendation will be needed”
David Mcallister of the German CDU leads the foreign policy committee of the EU and also spoke with the “Kroon” about unanimity: “We must gradually change voices due to a qualified majority.” The experienced European politician has been one of the most important committees in Brussels since 2017: “This would prevent individual Member States from blocking common functions through domestic or national self -interests.”
Especially in the currently tense geopolitical situation in which the EU has to increase its external and security policy to act drastically, “a reconsideration is necessary,” said McAllister.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
