OK, now I stop the jokes and get serious on #SOTEU and #JHA (opens thread). @JunckerEU: "We are proposing to extend the tasks of the newly established European Public Prosecutor’s Office to include the fight against #terrorist offences." I'm still sceptic about the original role of the #EPPO (financial offences to #EU money) and how that is going to pan out in the future (more on this soon, part of the @CER_EU's upcoming work on #JHA). I'm even more sceptic about proposals to use it for #AML. But terrorism?

OK, some context on #Spain: last week, a court found that the ruling #PP had been using irregular funds for years. The Socialist party (#PSOE) launched a motion of non confidence, which is being discussed today in Parliament (opens thread) Initially,nobody in #Europe cared much:after all, this was to be the second time #Rajoy was questioned by the Parliament (last year, on an initiative by #Podemos) and Socialist leader #Sanchez (who is not an MP, as he lost his seat last year) did not seem to have too much support

Today, @CER_EU publishes my piece on #Brexit and #JHA. I have been looking at this for 1,5 years so I hope I did not make too many mistakes (links to piece - cer.eu/publications/a… and opens thread) At the outset of the #Brexit process, most people assumed that a deal on #police and #judicial co-operation was easier to get than one on #trade. Time has shown this is not the case. Ongoing co-op on #JHA is one of the few items yet to be agreed on #withdrawal deal. Why?