On Monday 11 March, MEPs on the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) voted almost unanimously - with 16 members in favour, one against and no abstentions - to take the European Commission to court for misuse of EU funds.
This vote was prompted by the European Commission’s decision last December to release €10 billion in funds for Hungary ahead of the Summit of Heads of State and Government (see EUROPE 13314/1). A few hours later, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán withdrew his veto on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
For the MEPs, there is reason to believe that the Commission did not base its decision on improvements in the rule of law in Hungary, but was influenced by political considerations. “EU funds should only be disbursed if the rule of law is guaranteed. We very much doubt that Ursula von der Leyen will respect this principle in her relations with Hungary. €10 billion was released for Viktor Orbán without the necessary reforms having been carried out. Worse still, the Commission is suspected of having given in to Orbán’s blackmail. This should not be possible in the EU”, said MEP Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, German).
The decision on whether or not to initiate legal proceedings against the Commission now rests with the President of the Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who is due to meet with the group and committee chairs in Strasbourg on Thursday. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)