Anti-NGO laws in Hungary
3.5.2018
Question for written answer P-002469-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE/NGL) , Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) , Ernest Urtasun (Verts/ALE) , Barbara Spinelli (GUE/NGL) , Péter Niedermüller (S&D)
On 13 February 2018, the Hungarian Government submitted a legislative package comprising three draft laws which follow on from the 2017 law on non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which led to the Commission initiating infringement proceedings.
The Government aims to have the package adopted as quickly as possible by the Hungarian Parliament, which will reconvene on 8 May. The opinion of the Venice Commission is not expected until 22 June.
The content of the draft laws (T/1976, T/19775 and T/19774) is a matter of great concern, particularly regarding the imposition of a 25% tax on all financing from abroad (including from other European countries) obtained by licensed NGOs. In addition, some NGOs might even be banned on the basis of a simple administrative decision, with no satisfactory means of judicial redress.
In the light of the Hungarian Parliament’s accelerated examination procedure, will the Commission publish a reasoned opinion on the content of the package before 8 May?
Does the Commission think that adoption of the package would constitute violation of Article 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)?
Supporters[1].
- [1] This question is supported by Members other than the authors: Christine Revault d'Allonnes Bonnefoy (S&D), Josef Weidenholzer (S&D), Birgit Sippel (S&D), Terry Reintke (Verts/ALE), Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL), Josep-Maria Terricabras (Verts/ALE), Angelika Mlinar (ALDE), Bodil Valero (Verts/ALE), Sophia in ‘t Veld (ALDE), Claude Moraes (S&D), Ska Keller (Verts/ALE), Cecilia Wikström (ALDE), Nathalie Griesbeck (ALDE), Louis Michel (ALDE), Soraya Post (S&D), Sylvie Guillaume (S&D), Ana Gomes (S&D).