The former Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, who left on Tuesday 22 August to contest the Dutch parliamentary elections on 22 November, has distanced himself from the agreement concluded in July (see EUROPE 13224/3) between Tunisia, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Italian leader, Giorgia Meloni, and the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, under which the EU will pay Tunisia to prevent migrants arriving in the EU, Politico reported on 24 August, citing an interview with the Dutchman on the Nieuwsuur programme.
“Unlike the agreement with Turkey, where the EU insisted that the money should actually be spent on helping and protecting refugees, the money for Tunisia comes with fewer conditions attached”, said Mr Timmermans. “I take full responsibility for everything the European Commission does, but that doesn’t mean I agree with everything. That’s what you get in a collegiate administration”, he added.
On 18 August, the Dutch newspaper NRC reported, according to a leaked German diplomatic note, that in the wake of this agreement, 13 Member States disagreed with the method chosen by the three leaders, who they felt had not consulted them sufficiently beforehand.
The Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Ireland, Belgium, Poland, France, Hungary, Austria, Denmark and Finland have reportedly raised criticisms about the procedure. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)