Guy Verhofstadt: Appointing a UK diplomat as EU anti-terror commissioner is "odd" post Brexit

Guy Verhofstadt - credit: EP audio-visual

One of the European Parliament’s most influential politicians has questioned the decision to nominate a UK diplomat as an anti-terrorism commissioner, following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.

Sir Julian King was today nominated to become the UK’s new commissioner, in an anti-terrorism role which would give him responsibility for supporting the implementation of the European Agenda on Security.

But Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberals and Democrats group in the European Parliament and former Prime Minister of Belgium, said he would “seriously question” the decision, given the Brexit vote, along with the fact the UK has a long-standing ‘opt-out’ from Justice and Home Affairs decisions.

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Verhofstadt said: “The fact that Mr Juncker has chosen to nominate a commissioner to coordinate anti-terrorism policies at a European level is definitely a good thing. I am also pleased to see that the commissioner's task is thought through at an operational level and that a clear role has been carved out for him.

“However, I would seriously question whether the nomination of the UK-commissioner for the Security Union is the right choice.

“The UK will soon start the process of leaving the European Union but, more importantly, the country has a long-standing opt-out from Justice and Home Affairs measures, the crucial policy area if one is serious about building a European anti-terrorism capacity.

“It would be odd to give such an important portfolio to someone who has no incentive to further the European interest in general or more specifically, to enhance the EU's security capabilities.”

King will be responsible for tackling terrorism and preventing radicalization, disrupting organized crime and implementing a strategy to combat cybercrime if his nomination is accepted.

He is currently the UK’s ambassador to France.