EU Agrees to Keep Article Seven Procedure Active Against Hungary
(MENAFN) In a decisive move Tuesday, European affairs ministers agreed to keep the European Union’s Article 7 procedure active against Hungary, citing worsening rule of law violations.
“Today’s hearing highlighted that significant concerns persist, and regrettably, they have been aggravated...The Article 7 procedure should be maintained as long as the issues that triggered it remain unresolved,” said Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, following the General Affairs Council meeting, where the possibility of revoking Hungary’s EU voting rights was on the agenda.
McGrath emphasized that Hungary’s proposed transparency legislation—designed to restrict foreign funding for NGOs and media outlets—would amount to a “serious breach” of EU values.
“If the law is adopted, the (European) Commission will not hesitate to use the tools at its disposal to ensure that EU law is safeguarded,” he warned, adding that the Commission may seek “interim measures.”
Reiterating the EU’s broader goals, McGrath stressed an unwavering dedication to its "democracy" and "rule of law" across the EU.
“We will act decisively and without hesitation whenever necessary to protect these fundamental principles,” he stated.
The Article 7 mechanism was first invoked against Hungary by the European Parliament in 2018, citing systemic threats to judicial independence and media freedom.
Since then, EU ministers have convened seven times under the procedure and are now in their eighth hearing. However, they have yet to progress to its second stage, which could impose penalties such as suspending Hungary’s voting rights—often described as the bloc’s “nuclear option.”
Implementing sanctions requires unanimous consent from all EU member states, excluding the country in question. A formal censure demands support from at least 80% of members.
Hungary has persistently condemned the process as politically motivated and continues to call for reform of the EU’s sanctioning mechanisms.
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