EU Commissioner pledges to take action against "those who do not follow rule of law recommendations"
Speaking in an EP debate on the European Commission's rule of law report presented last week, Reynders said the dialogue between the EU Commission and member states was effective, but "not always sufficient". A recent critical report on the rule of law situation in Hungary was reported in the article below, after which the forint fell sharply, partly because of increased uncertainty over the ability to access EU funds:
The EU Commissioner said that if the rule of law discussions with a member state are not fruitful, the Brussels body can use a number of instruments to enforce the recommendations. Among the tools at the Commission's disposal, the Commissioner mentioned various infringement and budgetary procedures, as well as the launching of a procedure under the conditionality mechanism, if, as he underlined, the recommendations contained in the rule of law report are not implemented by a member state.
He said the report found that corruption remains a serious concern, even though many member states have taken measures to combat it, implemented criminal law reforms or taken steps to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement authorities responsible for fighting corruption by mobilising additional resources.
There is a critical need for effective action against corruption,
he said.
According to the report, most member states have created an environment that supports and promotes civil society, but in some countries there is still no formal framework for stakeholder consultation, and NGOs and human rights defenders continue to face challenges such as funding problems and restrictions on their scope of action.
The European Commission expects a supportive environment for civil society organisations
said the Commissioner.
The EU body will assess the implementation of the recommendations in the area of rule of law policies and encourage member states to address the problems identified, Reynders added.
Cover photo source: European Union, European Commission Media Office
