Wake-up calls to EU on crime and corruption

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 10th Apr 2008

A UK High Court judgment condemning the Blair government's blocking of a corruption probe into alleged bribes paid to Saudi royals by arms firm BAE has been welcomed by Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP.

It comes as the European Parliament voted a report noting the 'in some cases unacceptably high level of corruption' in candidate country Croatia and just after the EU Council warned Bulgaria under threat of sanctions to act against organised crime and gangland killings.

Sarah Ludford said:

"The EU needs these wake-up calls to get a sense of urgency about acting to eliminate alarming levels of corruption and crime. Although the spotlight is particularly on new and aspiring member states, the example set by the UK government in killing a vital corruption investigation set an appalling precedent. If Italy elects Berlusconi this weekend, Italian justice will also again be threatened."

"Although Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn is taking a much more vigorous line nowadays to try and make the rule of law a non-negotiable condition for EU accession, standards for both entry and continued membership have up to now been too lax. Only by taking a tough stance before entry and sanctions against states - new or old - which continue to breach legal norms after accession can the EU live up to its rhetoric and commitments on law enforcement and fundamental rights."