Europe
EU Commission gets special rights for Brexit dispute
European flags fly in front of the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels. photo
© Zhang Cheng/XinHua/dpa
Brussels and London have been at loggerheads since Great Britain left the EU. Now the EU Commission has been given additional powers.
The European Commission gets more rights to introduce measures against Great Britain in the Brexit dispute. This is intended to help London adhere to negotiated agreements, as the EU states announced last night. Possible measures include restrictions on flights as well as trade and investment restrictions.
Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU countries had previously agreed on the authorization. Both Parliament and the member states still have to formally confirm the outcome of the negotiations.
Specifically, the Commission may then issue so-called implementing acts in order to introduce measures. However, these must always be proportionate and effectively induce the United Kingdom to comply with agreements, according to the communication from the EU states.
Brussels and London have been at loggerheads since Great Britain left the EU. The British government has repeatedly threatened to terminate negotiated agreements.