Sanctions against Hungary
6.12.2022
Priority question for written answer P-003944/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Jean-Paul Garraud (ID)
On 1 December 2022, the Commission recommended that the Member States freeze EUR 7.5 billion in cohesion funds for Hungary under the ‘conditionality mechanism’.
However, the Member States have asked it to revise its position. According to them, Brussels, for example, stopped examining the reforms undertaken by Budapest on 19 November, despite the fact that the Hungarian Government had long warned that unavoidable procedural constraints would push back the adoption of certain texts to the start of December.
In addition, in terms of the total funding to be withheld, the Commission stuck to the figure it had suggested in September, failing to take into account the progress actually made by the Orbán Government since then.
Finally, the ambassadors wondered whether the Commission might have bowed to pressure from some Members of the European Parliament who in recent weeks have been pushing for a harsh decision.
- 1.Can the Commission confirm that the Member States have asked it to reconsider its recommendation?
- 2.If so, does it acknowledge that it has been biased or has botched this job?
- 3.Can it confirm that, when preparing its recommendation, it was not in contact with Members in favour of sanctions against Hungary?
Submitted: 6.12.2022