Brussels, 30/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - Many right- as well as left-wing MEPs have approved waiving the right of veto in the field of judiciary and police cooperation, as the Commission suggests. “National vetoes are out of date. They are a barrier to success in bringing terrorists and international criminals to justice”, Martin Schulz, leader of the Socialist Group at the EP, said after the Commission's presentation of several measures aimed at consolidating the Area for Justice, Security and Freedom (EUROPE 9221). “It is time for Europe to deal with the reality that criminals exploit weak cooperation between EU police forces”, Schulz said on Wednesday in a press release. In his view, “alongside police cooperation, it is essential to have proper safeguards for the individual through appropriate roles for the European Parliament and the Court of Justice”. Martine Roure (PES, France) explained that “terrorists and criminals work across borders every day. It is absurd that the police cannot do the same”. Also in favour of putting an end to the “grey areas” surrounding police and judiciary cooperation in the third pillar, Stavros Lambrinidis (PES, Greece) was not confident about the possibility of adopting the famous “passerelle” (= bridging) clause by end 22007. Baroness Sarah Ludford (ALDE, UK), for her part, said EU ministers “could do better”, not only because they are “clinging on to individual vetoes which creates paralysis” but also because they are unable to transpose measures on which they have already agreed. “There must be urgent reform to get EU action protecting citizens”, she concluded. Liberal Democrat Diana Wallis (ALDE, UK) welcomed as “very good news” the proposal to enhance the role of the European Court of Justice. The fact that only national courts of last instance are able to refer to the ECJ for guidance on the interpretation of rules is “nonsense”, she went on. Fearing that “the EU is trying to seize control of UK home affairs”, British Conservative Timothy Kirkhope (EPP-ED) considers, on the other hand, that harmonisation in this field is a “flawed approach” and that cooperation between Member States is the way forward.