[ad_1]
It was one of the main projects of the Presidency of the Council of Germany: anyone who does not comply with the rules of a constitutional state should be punished with sanctions. Now the plan is approved.
Most EU countries, despite threats from Hungary and Poland, have initiated procedures to punish violations of the rule of law within the Union. A corresponding proposal from the German Presidency of the Council of the EU received necessary support in Brussels on Wednesday, according to a spokesperson.
Negotiations with the European Parliament can now begin. In these, the planned procedure is likely to be readjusted. Several MEPs had recently described the proposal of the German Presidency of the Council of the EU as too cautious.
The decision could have consequences
Wednesday’s majority decision is explosive as Hungary and Poland threaten to block important EU decisions on the EU budget in the long run if the new rule of law mechanism is introduced. This could mean, for example, that Corona’s planned economic stimulus program cannot start.
The proposal of the German Presidency of the Council of the EU envisages, among other things, allowing cuts in EU financial assistance if violations of the rule of law “have a sufficiently direct impact” on the budgetary management and financial interests of the EU. Union.
Indeed, the EU Commission had proposed that sanctions should be possible when the lack of the rule of law threatens to undermine the basic requirements for sound financial management.
The presidency had doubts about the current plan
However, in the opinion of the German Presidency of the Council of the EU, it would have violated a decision of the July EU summit to adhere to it. There, the heads of state and government of the member states stipulated that sanctions should only be possible “in case of violations.”
The intended weakening of the planned mechanism was recently harshly criticized within the ranks of the European Parliament. MEPs described the proposal presented by the German Presidency of the Council of the EU earlier this week as a sign of “cowardice and lack of principle”.
It also doesn’t go far enough for the governments of the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium. However, they could not block it on Wednesday in the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States, nor Hungary and Poland.
