The European Parliament is planning to sue the EU Council, accusing it of procedural violations in the handling of the SAFE defense initiative, which is part of the €800 billion package presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in March.
The initiative proposes raising €150 billion in loans to boost weapons procurement by EU member states. However, von der Leyen invoked an emergency legal clause that bypasses the European Parliament, granting full authority for amending and approving the proposal to the EU Council, which consists of national governments.
Earlier, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola had already warned of a possible legal challenge, urging the Commission to reconsider the legal basis of the initiative. Now, according to Euractiv, MEPs have confirmed their intent to move forward with a lawsuit. One senior official called it “a matter of principle” and an example of unprecedented parliamentary unity.
European Commission Chief Spokesperson Paola Pinho stated that a letter explaining the Commission’s decision will be sent to the Parliament in the near future. It is noted that the Commission has used similar emergency mechanisms in the past, particularly during the pandemic and the energy crisis.
The Parliament has approximately two months to file its challenge after the SAFE proposal is formally approved by the Council. The EU Court of Justice could take up to two years to issue a ruling.
