I do not like this at all!!!

This never was the intention of the EU, to morph us all into a United States of Europe??!!
I do not agree with this at all, I dont believe this should be happening at all.

I'm not too big to admit I've made a mistake...
All these years I was pro-EU, promoting it, encouraging others to see things my way.
Had the EU remained true to their original charter, had they not overstepped their bounds, had the right not gained firm foothold there I might still be saying so.

But, not any more.
These past years have been shock after shock.


no, No, NO!!!!!!!!
I think it is time we stepped out of the EU.

Commission stakes new claim in European criminal law
25.11.2005 - 09:29 CET | By Teresa Küchler

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A new European commission claim to have the right to tell member states to impose criminal sanctions for offences against EU law may meet resistance, as member states are not keen on losing powers to Brussels.

The commission on Wednesday (23 November) presented a list of seven areas of EU legislation in which it wishes to have further powers in the area of criminal law, covering money laundering, computer-related crimes, maritime pollution, corruption, human trafficking and euro and bank card counterfeiting.

Minimal sentences for offences against EU law set by the commission must be enforced in member states' legal systems, with countries that fail to implement this liable to be taken to court by the commission, a commission official said.

In September, a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice ruled in favor of the commission and the European Parliament - but against member states - in a case involving infringements of EU environmental law.

The European Court of Justice ruling stated that it is up to the commission to decide on penal measures, in order for community legislation to be effective.

"The court strengthens the possibilities to enforce the law, once member states have agreed on a European policy. This is a watershed decision," commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said in reaction to the September decision.

Member states fear losing sovereignty
In its interpretation of the September ruling, the commission on Wednesday said that it has the right to lay down minimal sentences for offences against EU legislation in areas other than the environment.

There are so-called framework decisions surrounding all seven areas, with the commission hoping for a simple and fast procedure to have the very same texts adopted as directives, which would be decided upon by all three EU institutions rather than national governments.

The ruling means that, for the first time in legal history, a member state government will no longer have the sovereign right to decide what constitutes a crime and what the punishment should be.

The ruling is sure to meet with a fight. Several member states, including Germany, France and the UK, opposed the commission already in 2001 when it proposed that certain breaches of environment law be deemed criminal offences.

"Many EU countries, including Britain, are vigorously opposed to the commission's intrusion into criminal law. Far from being a shot in the arm for EU democracy, this is a serious blow to our right to decide these matters for ourselves," conservative British MEP Timothy Kirkhope said.

A commission official indicated that defining crimes has not always been up to member states alone, however: "There are already certain harmonisations between EU member states regarding cross-border related crimes, for instance."

She also underlined that for every area of criminal legislation to be put under community competence, the commission would have to prove the "absolute necessity" of the move.

Commission officials will set tests to decide if an offence is civil, administrative or criminal.