Brussels, 20/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - The spat lasted almost 2 years between 2011 in 2012 but has now officially been closed. On Wednesday 20 November, the European Commission effectively closed the procedure against Hungary on the retirement age of judges. This law provoked the ire of Viviane Reding and cost Hungary many different warnings and even referral to the European Court of Justice. The issue related to the retirement age of judges in Hungary being reduced from 70 to 62 but was effectively resolved in the spring when Hungary adopted a new law on the subject. This set a gradual transition in the retirement age from 70 to 65 over a ten-year period. The controversy dragged on, however, because the 274 judges and prosecutors affected by the first law had not all been allowed to return to their respective positions. The Commission wanted clear provisions on the return to office of those affected but, according to the figures announced by Hungary, a significant number of these legal practitioners had indicated that they wanted to remain “retired”. (SP/transl.fl)