Council strongly criticised over failing to act to protect EU values in Hungary

Source: European Parliament (EP) i, published on Tuesday, March 19 2019.

Civil Liberties MEPs will discuss with Commission and Council representatives developments in Hungary since last September’s Article 7 request.

The current situation in Hungary, as well as the progress made by EU member states in examining Parliament's September 2018 request to determine whether Hungary is posing a systemic threat to the European Union’s founding values, will be discussed in the Civil Liberties Committee this Thursday at 15.30. MEPs will be joined by the Commission’s First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Political and Security Committee Permanent Representative Calin Stoica, on behalf of the Romanian Presidency of the Council.

Judicial independence, freedom of expression, corruption, rights of minorities, and the situation of migrants and refugees were key concerns behind the September request. EU member states could initiate the procedure laid down in Article 7 the EU Treaty, which may eventually lead to sanctions, such as the suspension of the country’s voting rights in the Council.

You can watch the debate live here.

For more information, you can read the most recent press release.

When: Thursday, 21 March, at 15.30

Where: European Parliament in Brussels, Paul-Henri Spaak (3C050)