The European Union’s Council, representing its 27 member states, currently signals no immediate intervention in the matter at hand. Despite ongoing concerns about rule of law issues in Budapest, the bloc’s Hungarian presidency in 2024, and questions about the credibility of the European Parliament’s leadership given these shortcomings, the council remains hesitant to act beyond formal discussions.
In a statement, Sweden, holding the rotating presidency, emphasized that the matter was not raised or debated within the General Affairs Council and was not on the agenda. The Swedish official noted the rotating nature of the presidency, which follows the Treaty framework, and stressed the expectation that any presidency should reflect the interests of all member states and the entire Council. Jessika Roswall, the minister for European affairs, underscored this point.
Plans indicate that Hungary would assume this driving role from June 1 to December 31, 2024. That period requires managing negotiations among the twenty-seven on various dossiers and addressing concerns within the European room. A forthcoming vote is expected next Thursday on a resolution that questions whether Hungary can credibly fulfill this mandate given perceptions that the country does not fully align with European law and the principle of sincere cooperation.
Reports based on a draft released by EFE show that, despite calls by members of the European Parliament to reach a timely solution and warnings that action could follow if no progress is made, neither the Council nor the European Commission has formally moved yet. For now, discussions have not advanced. Vera Jourova, the European Commission vice president, stated that the Commission would act in line with the treaty, while noting that the decision on presidency lies with the member states.
Among the broader concerns discussed by ministers today were issues regarding judicial independence in Hungary, the fight against corruption, and media freedom. These points contributed to the opening of a European dossier and, in a parallel track, the freezing of recovery funds and the EU budget earmarked for Budapest.
The Swedish minister highlighted that some recent reforms under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán represent positive steps, but cautioned that substantial problems remain and that Hungary must press ahead with further progress.
Leaders from the Twenty-seven European Affairs chairs continued their deliberations on the situation. Poland has faced a similar, longstanding debate over judicial independence and the rule of law, with the European dossier on this issue dragging on without decisive results, including the potential revocation of voting rights if progress stalls.
Officials acknowledged some positive shifts, yet the overall assessment remains troubling. The Commission’s vice president noted concerns about new measures in Poland designed to investigate alleged Russian influence, a development that could complicate fair electoral processes for some candidates. She stressed that the Commission would not hesitate to act if necessary and outlined ongoing analysis of the situation.
As part of the ongoing process, the newly proposed Polish commission tasked with examining Russian influence would scrutinize the period from 2007 to 2022 and could impose penalties, including fines or disqualification for up to ten years, on individuals found acting under external influence.