Hungary has become a ‘hybrid regime of electoral autocracy’ and the EU Council, which has allowed the situation to deteriorate by failing to act sufficiently under the so-called ‘Article 7’ procedure, is also complicit in breaching the Rule of law.
European Recovery Plan funds for Hungary should also be suspended until the country complies with the recommendations and decisions of the Court of Justice of the EU. This was the message sent, on Wednesday 13 July, by the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE), which adopted by 47 votes to 10 with 2 abstentions the interim report on the ‘Article 7’ procedure by the French MEP, Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Greens/EFA).
This report aims to take stock of developments in the country since the Parliament opened, in September 2018, this procedure dealing with the breach by a country of European values. The European Parliament opened this Article 7 against Hungary with the report by Judith Sargentini (Greens/EFA, Dutch).
In the interim report, the MEPs pointed to the functioning of the electoral and constitutional system, the independence of the judiciary and the rights of judges, respect for data protection, freedom of the media, academic freedom and space for civil society, and respect for the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons as problem areas.
Hungary’s last Article 7 hearing took place in May under the French Presidency of the EU Council (see EUROPE 12958/5). The Czech Presidency of the EU Council has planned in principle to continue the hearings with Hungary and Poland in October at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg.
On the other hand, as for the discussions on the European Recovery Plan, Commissioner Didier Reynders said, on 13 July, that contacts had been resumed with Budapest and discussions launched to resolve the blockages to the payment of the Recovery Plan money and “to implement the European court decisions”.
Fundamental rights under strain in the EU
The LIBE Committee also expressed its deep concern about the general state of fundamental rights in the EU in a report adopted by 46 votes to 11 with 1 abstention.
MEPs regret the continuing violations of the Rule of law in some Member States and expressed concern about the impact of the Covid-19 measures on democracy.
The report highlights the increase in hate speech and smear campaigns against the media, NGOs and minorities. The persistence of structural racism must be combated, as well as pushbacks and violence against migrants.
The report also denounces widespread gender-based violence in the EU: one in three women has experienced physical or sexual violence and one in two has experienced sexual harassment.
Link to the report on Hungary: https://aeur.eu/f/2m5 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)