MEPs debated, on Wednesday 6 April, with the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, the so-called ‘Article 7’ procedures on the Rule of law opened in 2017 against Poland and in 2018 against Hungary. In particular, several MEPs asked the French Presidency to hold a vote to note this risk of serious violation of European values.
While many MEPs welcomed the Commission’s launch of the EU funds conditionality regulation against Hungary, others considered that it was also appropriate to move on to Article 7 sanctions against Hungary, following the example of Slovak Michal Šimečka (Renew Europe).
For the MEP, the EU’s problem with Hungary really came to light with the war in Ukraine and “if everyone had behaved in the same way, there would have been no response to Vladimir Putin”, insisted the MEP, arguing for a suspension of Hungary’s voting rights in the EU Council.
For Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Greens/EFA, France), it is useful that the French Presidency is organising a new hearing on Hungary on 30 May, as confirmed by Clément Beaune, but “autocracy has been developing in Hungary for 12 years” and the EU’s “inaction” has “contributed to feeding this autocracy financially”.
French Socialist Sylvie Guillaume also questioned the effectiveness of these procedures, which were opened five years ago for Poland and “nothing has changed since then” in these two countries. During the debate, the Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, had earlier lamented that she “could not report on positive developments” in these two countries.
The debate was understandably not well received by Fidesz MEPs, including Balázs Hidvéghi (non-attached Member), who criticised the “ideological jihad” of MEPs and considered that they were disrespecting “the voice of the people” of Hungary.
Dialogue in the ‘General Affairs’ Council of the EU
The EU27 ministers for European affairs will hold the fourth discussion by country of the annual Rule of Law Report on 12 April in Brussels, the first in 2022.
The discussion will focus on the main developments in five Member States: Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands and Austria. Each of the five Member States will be invited to present the main developments at national level and particular aspects of their national Rule of law framework”, says a preparatory note.
The last such debate took place at the end of November and concerned Cyprus, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia and Croatia.
The French Secretary of State said on Wednesday that this format would allow for a constructive debate and facilitate the exchange of best practices. The organisation of the hearing on 30 May should also be seen as the French “signal of determination” on this subject of the Rule of law. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)