EU begins legal action against UK for breaching treaty

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) - The EU has launched infringement proceedings against the U.K. following its failure to name a candidate for EU commissioner, the EU Commission said in a statement on Thursday.

"The European Commission has today sent a letter of formal notice to the United Kingdom for breaching its EU Treaty obligations by not suggesting a candidate for the post of EU Commissioner," the statement said.

The statement said the U.K. authorities "have until Friday Nov. 22 at the latest to provide their views.”

It said the U.K. authorities, in a reply to two previous letters, said that they are not in a position to suggest a candidate for the post of EU Commissioner in view of the upcoming general election.

"The Commission has now analyzed this reply and considers that the UK is in breach of its EU Treaty obligations," the statement said.

EU had accepted the U.K.'s request to postpone Brexit until Jan. 31, 2020.

The new EU Commission is set to start its duty on Dec. 1 and the U.K. will continue to be an EU member at that date.

According to EU treaties, EU members must be represented with a commissioner in the EU Commission.