National parliaments will be able to work together to give European laws the “red card” as part of the deal aimed at keeping Britain in the European Union, it has emerged.
The measure will be contained in a draft agreement being published at noon today by European Council president Donald Tusk.
Downing Street said the move was a “further sign of progress” as prime minister David Cameron tries to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s EU membership.
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Under the proposal, laws passed by Brussels will be scrapped or amended if 55% of national parliaments object to them.
At the moment, parliaments can only raise a “yellow card” triggering a review of EU legislation.
A Number 10 source said: “This will strengthen the power of Westminster to stop unnecessary EU laws and addresses concerns that the current ‘yellow card’ system has not proved strong enough.
“It ensures that the European Commission cannot just ignore the will of national parliamentarians and delivers greater democratic control over what the EU does.
“As the prime minister has said, it it is national parliaments which are, and will remain, the true source of real democratic legitimacy and accountability in the EU and this breakthrough will ensure that national parliaments’ voices are heard loud and clear in Brussels.”
Tusk last night said “good progress” had been made in the discussions between European and British diplomats — but warned that there remained “outstanding issues” between the two sides.
The main sticking point remains the prime minister’s demands for EU migrants to be banned from receiving in-work benefits to be for the first four years they are in the UK.
As a compromise, the European Commission has proposed a so-called “emergency brake” on immigration which would be imposed for four years if an EU member state’s public services were being overwhelmed.
Cameron’s official spokesman yesterday insisted progress was being made.
She said: “Look at where we’ve come from. The Prime Minister put forward a proposal to restrict in-work benefits to EU migrants for four years.
“There was widespread speculation that we would never get agreement. Last week the European Commission signalled they would be willing to put forward a proposal that would allow you to restrict in-work benefits and since the prime minister’s meeting with (Jean-Claude) Juncker, they have also accepted that Britain’s circumstances would meet the criteria for a brake.
“That is progress but there is more work to be done.”