EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders confirmed on Tuesday 26 May, before the European Affairs Ministers meeting via teleconference, that the first annual report on the Rule of law would be presented in September, reported Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič at the end of the meeting.
According to one source, unlike their meeting on 22 April, the Member States spoke relatively little about the Rule of law and emergency measures, but most of the discussion focused on the preparation of this report by the Commission. The Commissioner thus told the Ministers that drafting was underway with information gathering and consultations. In particular, the report must cover all Member States and observe principles such as the independence of the judiciary and media pluralism.
Bill in Hungary
On the same day, the Hungarian Government announced that it had transmitted to the National Parliament the bill to end the emergency measures related to the health crisis. Once passed, the bill will allow these controversial measures, in that they gave full powers to Viktor Orbán, to be lifted around 20 June, Justice Minister Judit Varga told AFP. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)