Several EU countries want to restrict the use of veto in foreign policy - media

Eleven European Union countries have proposed limiting the "obstructive" use of the veto right during decision-making in the foreign policy and security sphere. They call for more frequent use of the so-called constructive abstention, so that disagreement of one state does not block the actions of the entire EU.

The initiative has been backed by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain and Sweden. Foreign ministers of these countries have sent the relevant document to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and other member states.

The authors of the document emphasize that the European Union must be able to react faster to international crises and avoid situations when, due to the lack of consensus, decisions end up in an impasse. At the same time, the countries do not propose abandoning the principle of consensus completely and call it an important source of legitimacy for EU decisions.

Among the proposed principles is to apply "constructive abstention" more often. Such a mechanism allows a state not to support a decision, but at the same time not to hinder its adoption by other members of the European Union.

The countries also call not to link foreign policy decisions with issues that are not directly related to them. Objections are proposed to be expressed as early as possible and only regarding specific provisions of a decision.

A separate principle concerns cases when a decision can be adopted by a qualified majority. If a state decides to block it, referring to vital interests of national policy, it must explain its reasons in detail, so that other members can hold consultations and try to find a compromise.

The authors of the initiative also called on Kaja Kallas to examine other possibilities provided by EU treaties to improve the process of making foreign policy decisions.

At the same time, the proposals do not envisage immediate changes to the founding treaties of the European Union. According to the assessment of the authors of the document, the necessary mechanisms already exist in the current legal system of the EU and depend largely on the readiness of member states to apply them.

The document was also sent to foreign ministers of other EU countries, in particular Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, the Baltics and other states.

According to materials: ANSA, Europa Press