The European Parliament threatened on Thursday 10 June to take the European Commission to the EU Court of Justice for failing to implement the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation for the protection of the EU budget. This mechanism allows EU funds to be reduced in the event of a Member State’s failure to comply with the rule of law (see EUROPE 12737/2).
In a joint resolution (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA, The Left) adopted on Thursday (506 votes in favour, 150 against and 28 abstentions), MEPs note that the new conditionality instrument has been in force since 1 January 2021 and that it also applies to the EU Recovery Plan.
But the Commission has not proposed any measures under the new rules and has failed to meet the 1 June deadline set by Parliament in its 25 March resolution for finalising guidelines on the application of the regulation. This “constitutes a sufficient basis for taking legal actions under Article 265 of the TFEU against the Commission”, say MEPs.
The European Parliament asks President Sassoli to call on the Commission, within 2 weeks at the latest, to “fulfil its obligations” under the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation. “Parliament shall in the meantime immediately start the necessary preparations for potential court proceedings under Article 265 of TFEU against the Commission”.
MEPs urge the Commission to swiftly address the severe violations of the principle of rule of law in some member states that are seriously jeopardising the fair, legal and impartial distribution of EU funds. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)