The European Parliament has sued the EU Council after it was excluded from the decision-making process for a multi-billion euro defense loan program. According to MEPs, this action undermines the democratic foundations of the European Union, as reported by Euractiv.
European Parliament Challenges SAFE Program Approval
On Wednesday, the Parliament’s press service announced that an application had been filed with the EU Court of Justice, requesting the annulment of the regulation for the SAFE program. This €150 billion fund was proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to accelerate the financing of the defense industry.
To avoid lengthy parliamentary negotiations, the European Commission utilized an emergency procedure outlined in Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. This provision is typically invoked during crisis situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for rapid decisions that bypass the ordinary legislative process. In May, EU ministers definitively approved the program without consulting Members of the European Parliament.
Despite fully supporting the program’s objective, the Parliament objects to the chosen legal pathway. In their view, “the use of Article 122 was procedurally incorrect and simply unnecessary” and “undermines democratic legitimacy in the eyes of the public.”
In its court submission, the Parliament requested that the regulation remain in effect to ensure the provision of these funds is not jeopardized while the court’s decision is pending.
Previously, Ursula von der Leyen explained the use of the emergency procedure as an “exceptional and temporary response to an urgent and existential challenge.”
