Brussels, 13/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - The commissioner-designate for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship, Viviane Reding, confirmed on Tuesday 12 January her intention to launch the very first “strengthened cooperation” procedure to simplify divorces between bi-national couples in the European Union (EUROPE 10049). During her hearing at the European Parliament, she declared: “If you confirm my appointment for this role, I will submit a request for strengthened cooperation in the three months after I take up my post”. She explained that “ten countries had asked her to do this. They are right and I will do it”. She also highlighted the need to obtain an agreement from the EU27 on this issue. In a reference to Stockholm's veto, she asserted: “When unanimity proves impossible and there is no other way of moving forward, especially in areas as important as this one, we have to shift”. Sweden has a very supple system on divorce and does not want to apply less favourable European divorce procedures. Nonetheless, Stockholm will not oppose strengthened cooperation. The creation of strengthened cooperation would put an end to the many months of stalemate in this dossier because the outgoing commissioner for justice, Jacques Barrot, has always held a lot of reservations about using this procedure, which he believes could “shatter citizenship”.
During her hearing, Reding (from Luxembourg) also expressed serious misgivings about the use of body scanners when controlling airport passengers, even though the Commission does plan to set up a regulation on this subject (EUROPE 10052). She stated that “scanners are not a universal panacea against terrorism. They can prevent certain attacks but not others”. She also called for very strict conditions for their use. “Our citizens are not objects…Our need for security cannot justify private life violations. The use of body scanners should only be done on a voluntary basis and the images immediately destroyed”, she said. Reding also called for “a control on the health impact”, which she said should “never be guided by fear. We have to use less intrusive and less aggressive means” of checking passengers. In the context of fundamental rights, the commissioner highlighted the fact that she would apply “zero tolerance” to charter violations. She also promised MEPs an “annual report on the application of the EU Charter by the EU and member states”. For further information on Reding's hearing see EUROPE 10054). (B.C./transl.fl)