Respect for the rule of law: Poland and Hungary deprived of European funds?

Audio 7:30 p.m.

The European Court of Justice has validated a system allowing the deprivation of European funds of States which do not respect the rule of law (illustration image).

AFP - JOHN THYS

By: Anne Corpet Follow

1 min

The European Court of Justice yesterday validated the “budget conditionality mechanism for respecting the rule of law”.

Behind these somewhat technical terms hides an unprecedented and potentially formidable device: it makes it possible to deprive member states of European funds in the event of a violation of the rule of law. 

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Until then, the treaties provided until then few tools to sanction a Member State.

The most draconian of them, Article 7, proved to be ineffective: it came up against the requirement of unanimity on the part of the Member States.

Europe is therefore moving up a gear in an attempt to curb the democratic setbacks observed in certain countries and to ensure the proper use of European funds.

A key issue.

Poland and Hungary, which had initiated a legal action against this device, are in the line of fire.

How does this mechanism work?

Will Poland and Hungary play the obstruction within the community bodies to express their dissatisfaction?

Isn't the implementation of this device likely to radicalize an opinion conducive to denouncing the omnipotence of Brussels?

Decryption with: 

Emmanuelle Saulnier-Cassia

, professor of European Union law at the

Antoine Vauchez, political scientist

, director of research at the

, author of

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• European Union

• Hungary

• Poland

On the same subject

Rule of law: European justice validates a key device, Warsaw and Budapest in the sights

European funds and the rule of law: a judgment scrutinized throughout the EU