About: opt-outs

Van Rompuy: Brexit will take ‘years and years’

No need to panic, the UK was on its way out of the EU years ago. This was the view shared by Herman Van Rompuy and the EU foreign affairs ministers who met in Paris on Thursday (1 September). EURACTIV France reports.

Xydakis: Athens is not afraid of a Brexit

Athens has no reason to fear the consequences of a Brexit vote, Greece’s Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, told EURACTIV.com on Wednesday (22 June).

Protecting Europe’s family ties in trying times

In 1946, it was British Conservative Winston Churchill who famously called for the creation of a European family and the establishment of a United States of Europe. So perhaps it is fitting that another Tory may preside over the family’s dissolution, writes Anthony Silberfeld.

Danish opt-out referendum marked by refugee debate

Eurosceptic Denmark goes to the polls on Thursday (3 December) in a referendum on stepping up its participation in EU police and judicial cooperation, with the outcome uncertain amid fears ranging from jihadist attacks to the refugee crisis.

Paris attacks influence Danes against joining EU’s justice rules

One in five Danes is more likely to vote in favour of scrapping the country's opt-out on EU justice rules after the 13 November Paris attacks, a poll published yesterday (26 November) showed.

Making the Brexit deal ‘formal, legally-binding and irreversible’

If the heads of government want to placate Cameron, they can promise to change the treaty in the future, but such a promise will be neither legally-binding nor irreversible, writes Andrew Duff.

Danish elections: Euroscepticism instead of rapprochement

After its good election results, the Danish People’s Party could draw Denmark further into the Eurosceptic camp, write Tobias Etzold and Janus Keck.

EPP leader: UK could lose its veto right in EU

Britain could lose its prized EU veto on some subjects if it opts out from the commitment to "ever closer union" in the bloc's treaties under David Cameron's reform plans, a senior German MEP said.

Weber: ‘The British government must remain realistic’

David Cameron should not overburden negotiations with EU partners with unattainable demands, says the head of the  EPP Group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber. Discrimination against EU citizens in the United Kingdom would be a "red line" the CSU politician told Tagesspiegel.

Danish minister warns Cameron: Don’t pursue our EU model

Martin Lidegaard, Denmark's Minister for Foreign Affairs, has warned David Cameron against copying the Danish EU opt-out model when the UK Prime Minister negotiates a reform of Britain's relations with the EU, saying "it has given us nothing but problems".

Europe ‘à la carte’: The whats and whys behind UK opt-outs

Since becoming a member in 1973, the United Kingdom has negotiated opt-outs on key parts of EU legislation, and a sizeable rebate from the EU annual budget. But do they really serve the best interests of the UK and Europe?

Lords slams UK’s ‘splendid isolation’ on EU justice opt-out

The House of Lords has called on the British government to abandon its “legally unsustainable” interpretation of EU justice and home affairs law, and drop its unnecessarily confrontational strategy.

Danish PM postpones EU referendum

Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt on Tuesday (7 October) announced she will call for a referendum on one of the country's four opt-outs if reelected. She had previously promised the referendum would take place during her first term in office.

Denmark moves closer to referendum on EU opt-outs

Danish opposition leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen has ratcheted up the pressure on Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt to launch a referendum on two of Denmark’s EU opt-outs by calling for one “at the earliest opportunity”.

Danish minister: We want to be at the EU’s core

Denmark is celebrating 40 years as an EU member in 2013. Despite opting out of four main policy areas, the small Scandinavian nation wants to be at the core of the EU, Danish Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen tells EURACTIV.

Denmark won’t follow Britain’s EU direction, minister says

Britain and Denmark, the EU countries with perhaps the most eurosceptic populations, are both celebrating 40 years as EU members in 2013. But while Britain is debating whether to leave the EU, Denmark's European affairs minister says his country has no intention of going in the same direction. 

How to change the EU Treaties: an overview of revision procedures under the Lisbon Treaty

Various procedures already exist for pursuing changes to the Lisbon Treaty, writes Peadar ó Broin, an associate research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS).

Danish opposition welcomes Commission’s assurances on opt-outs

Danish political parties are satisfied with the Commission President's guarantees concerning Denmark's opt-outs in certain EU policy areas.

Danes want out of opt-outs

According to a new survey organised by the Gallup Institute, 60 per cent of the Danish population is in favour of joining the euro. The poll also indicates that most Danes would like their country to give up its opt-outs on defence policy and justice and home affairs.