European Parliament
Because the draft regulation was opposed by the Greek Cypriots, who say that Direct Trade implies recognition of the TRNC, the EU group leaders have had to ask the legal affairs committee to prepare an opinion based on advice from the Parliament’s legal service who are expected to lean towards the opinion provided by the European Commission’s legal service in 2004, that the proposal did not in itself imply recognition of the TRNC. In 2004, the legal service of the Council of Ministers contradicted that interpretation.
Greek Cypriots have been blocking Direct Trade for six years and are backed by several member states and the centre-right EPP group in Parliament. The EU’s Treaty of Lisbon gives MEPs powers of co-decision on trade matters, opening up the possibility of a breakthrough on the regulation.
Centre-left Portuguese MEP, Vital Moreira, who chairs the Parliament’s international trade committee, two months ago asked the leaders of the political groups to decide whether his committee was actually responsible for the legislation.
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