EU develops joint asylum policy

European Union ministers meeting in Luxembourg have approved a new five-year framework aimed at co-ordinating policies on asylum and immigration. They have agreed that decisions on such issues will be taken by majority voting - so the 25 EU states will no longer have the power to veto proposals. But Britain retains the right not to implement decisions it opposes. Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted that the UK was "getting the best of both worlds" with the asylum plan. Britain does not accept proposals for a joint EU border guard or centralised visa processing. Denmark and Ireland have also negotiated a right to opt out of decisions they do not like.