Under its rotating Presidency, France is ready to organise debates in the Council of the EU on the procedures that would be launched under the regulation on the protection of the Union’s budget in the event of a widespread breakdown in the rule of law in a Member State, said Clément Beaune, Secretary of State for European Affairs (see EUROPE 12850/19), on Tuesday 25 January in Brussels.
After the General Affairs Council on Tuesday, Mr Beaune recalled that it was up to the European Commission to initiate procedures under the regulation in question “on the basis of the investigative elements gathered”.
On 19 November, the Commission sent letters to Poland and Hungary under this regulation.
Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn told media on Tuesday that the Commission had received no response from Poland by the deadline of Monday 24 January and would now send a reminder. Hungary had until midnight on Tuesday to respond to the letter.
“I am not prejudging what will happen, nor the decision of the EU Court of Justice, nor what the Commission will put in place, but it is known that this tool is based on qualified majority decisions and that it has a financial dimension. If the deadlines would lead to this procedure starting in the Council under the French Presidency, we are willing to hold these debates, but I cannot say if and when this procedure will be concluded”, said Mr Beaune.
Court ruling on 16 February. The EU Court of Justice will adopt its judgment on 16 February on the Polish and Hungarian request to annul the rule of law conditionality regulation.
On 2 December 2021, the Advocate General found that the actions brought by Hungary and Poland against the conditionality regime for the protection of the Union budget for breach of the principles of the rule of law should be dismissed (see EUROPE 12845/1). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)