EU criminal law

[English assassin]

Oh dear.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...779849,00.html

BRUSSELS has been given the power to compel British courts to fine or imprison people for breaking EU laws, even if the Government and Parliament are opposed. An unprecedented ruling yesterday by the supreme court in Europe gives Brussels the power to introduce harmonised criminal law across the EU, creating for the first time a body of European criminal law that all member states must adopt

Oh dear oh dear.

I'm sorry, but the idea that criminal law can be made by the unelected nomenklatura is just wrong. Plain wrong. (Yes, I know there is a European parliament. I also know it has no powers worth speaking of)

I also note with dismay, but not surprise, that the ECJ continues in its role as a wholly unaccountable legislature, at any event, it applies no judicial pronciples that I recgoniase in reaching any of its decisions (which, curiously, always extend the power of the EU and the ECJ, and never reduce it).

Why does the creation of an EU have to involve the denial of democratic accountability?

[Crazed Rabbit]

You didn't really think that the EU would be content to sit back in some areas and let member states decide what to do?

I remember reading an article by a Soviet dissident who saw this collection of power into the hands of an unelected group coming.

Now you know how US patrons feel about the supreme court- though even our court is made up of US citizens who are theoretically supposed to rule based on the US constitution. Yours is a bunch of unelected Europhiles. Now you guys are going to start losing whatever sovereignty you still have left to the power hungry EU that wants to control every facet of your life. You've lost laws already (have fun with foreigners making the laws-might be harder to fight the war on terror, or sort out those crazy imans that the EU courts won't let you deport), how long to taxes (raised, of course, to add more to EU coffers and French farmers), economic regulations, foreign policy, goverment projects (budgets), etc.

I suppose it'd be a wee bit cruel to tell you I told you so, so I won't say it very loud. I told you so. ;)

Crazed Rabbit

[English assassin]

You didn't really think that the EU would be content to sit back in some areas and let member states decide what to do?

Well, I sort of hoped they might. I mean, healthy caution is one thing, paranoia another. Except I am starting to wonder if the paranoid weren't right all along.

Its the bloody dirigistes I suppose.

Its not really the same as the supreme court, in as much as, as you say, your supreme court is meant to have a pretty general role given that your constitution is far reaching, whereas the ECJ is supposed to ruile only on treaties that are MEANT to be do do with economics and and meant NOT to include criminal law in any form.

I mean [rant on] for gods sake what do we have to do to keep something out of the hands of the ECJ? "Criminal law is a matter for member states ONLY , we really really really mean it, ECJ this means you." triple underline with red ink. [rant off]

[BDC]

Ah well. One big case and the EU will start to collapse. Hopefully several big cases in different countries all at the same time.

Bring back the trade block and nothing else.

[Duke Malcolm]

Surely there is something in the rare but existant Uneditable Laws of the UK against this?

[BDC]

Surely there is something in the rare but existant Uneditable Laws of the UK against this?

Yes. It's probably called treason and should be used against whichever idiot decided to let mainland Europe's laws overule our own.

[Adrian II]

Why does the creation of an EU have to involve the denial of democratic accountability?

Yes, you do sound like Crazed Rabbit with his end of the beginning of the end of the beginning of the end of the 2nd Amendment.

This ruling is about democratically agreed environmental law under the EU Treaty. It is a guarantee against certain cheaters of 'Up yours, Delors' notoriety.

Although, as a general rule, neither criminal law nor the rules of criminal procedure fall within the Community’s competence, that does not prevent the Community legislature, when the application of effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties by the competent national authorities is an essential measure for combating serious environmental offences, from taking measures that relate to the criminal law of the Member States which it considers necessary in order to ensure that the rules which it lays down on environmental protection are fully effective.

Link