Latest news with #Article7
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First Post
03-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Can EU invoke nuclear legal option against Hungary for blocking Ukraine membership? Denmark at it
Denmark is pushing the EU to consider triggering Article 7—its so-called 'nuclear option' against Hungary for violating EU principles and blocking Ukraine's membership bid. As frustrations mount, the bloc faces a critical decision on whether to escalate action or risk further internal paralysis. read more Denmark is urging the European Union to consider deploying its most powerful legal weapon Article 7, often dubbed the 'nuclear option' against Hungary for its persistent breaches of core EU principles and its obstruction of Ukraine's accession to the bloc. 'We are still seeing violations of fundamental values,' Politico reported Denmark's European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre as saying during a press briefing in Aarhus, where the European Commission is holding meetings as Denmark assumes the rotating presidency of the EU Council. 'That is why we will continue the Article 7 procedure and the hearing on Hungary.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Article 7 of the EU Treaty allows member states to sanction another member found to be breaching fundamental EU values. In its most extreme form, it could lead to the suspension of the offending country's voting rights within the EU. Though this step has never been fully implemented, it remains a looming threat and one that Denmark now wants to bring closer to reality. Bjerre also suggested that the EU should consider restricting access to funding for members that defy the bloc's laws. Hungary has been repeatedly criticised by Brussels for eroding judicial independence, curbing press freedom, and weakening democratic institutions. Ukraine's EU bid caught in crossfire Denmark's frustrations are heightened by Hungary's continuing veto of Ukraine's EU membership process. With Kyiv's candidacy in limbo, Copenhagen is calling for all possible political and legal avenues to be explored in order to break the deadlock. 'We are willing to look at all political and practical solutions for us to move forward,' Bjerre stated, making it clear that Hungary's blockade is unacceptable. If EU members choose to intensify the Article 7 process, Hungary could be stripped of its voting powers in key policy areas—including decisions on enlargement—thereby neutralising its veto over Ukraine's membership. However, any move to escalate requires solid backing from major powers like France and Germany, which have so far remained cautious. Moldova as a potential workaround? With Budapest showing no signs of relenting, speculation is growing that the EU might opt to advance Moldova's membership talks separately by initiating the first negotiation cluster, effectively decoupling Moldova's candidacy from Ukraine's. But Denmark is not in favour of such a split. 'It is still our goal to open cluster one together with Moldova and Ukraine,' Bjerre affirmed, stressing Denmark's commitment to a united enlargement strategy. As the EU grapples with internal resistance and geopolitical urgency, the question now is whether the bloc is finally ready to wield its most extreme disciplinary tool or whether Hungary will remain a roadblock unchecked. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Euractiv
03-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Denmark to exert ‘maximum pressure' on Hungary over vetoes
COPENHAGEN – Denmark has pledged to exert "maximum pressure" on Hungary in an attempt to resurrect Ukraine's stalled bid for EU membership, but Viktor Orbán remains unlikely to budge off his veto. "We will put maximum pressure on Hungary in order to lift their reservations," said Denmark's European Affairs Minister, Marie Bjerre, at the launch of her country's six-month EU presidency. "And we are willing to do all we can, political and practical, in order to move forward with Ukraine and also Moldova and the countries in the Western Balkans," she told reporters. Denmark is among a pro-enlargement group of EU countries that aims to make informal progress as far as possible while formal decisions are blocked, with a view to rapid progress if the Hungarian veto then falls. Yet such ambition faces a formidable obstacle in Budapest. Emboldened by the negative outcome of a self-styled referendum on Ukraine's EU accession, Hungary has shown no sign of lifting its veto on Kyiv's membership bid. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, with an eye on next year's parliamentary elections, is unlikely to soften his stance – meaning Ukraine and Moldova would not get the unanimous EU backing needed to complete negotiations by year's end, as is their goal. Bjerre insisted Copenhagen was "working to find solutions" around Hungary – which will include an additional hearing under the Article 7 procedure that, if passed, would strip Hungary of its EU voting rights over "serious" breaches of EU principles. That process is also unlikely to yield results, however, as it requires the support of the other 26 member states. Denmark has also backed a more robust eighteenth package of EU sanctions against Russia – which are blocked by Hungary and Slovakia over concerns around phasing out Russian energy imports. Budapest offered a minor climbdown at last week's EU summit, backing a rollover of the EU's exiting Russia sanctions, as is required every six months. Failure to extend the sanctions would likely have seen the return of billions in frozen Russian assets to Moscow. (om)
Euronews
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
MEPs clash in fierce debate on Hungary's Pride ban at EU Parliament
European lawmakers engaged in a fierce debate on Wednesday, sparked by the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government's recent ban on the Budapest Pride event. MEPs argued that the move infringes upon freedom of expression and called on the European Commission to take action. Iratxe Garcia, the group leader of the Socialists and Democrats at the European Parliament, denounced the move and called for the EU to take a strong reaction. "The last red line that the Orban government has crossed is not just an isolated fact, it's not even just an oddity of a country, it's an outright European shame," Garcia said. "The banning of the Pride march is not just a cowardly attack against part of its people. It is yet another manifestation of an authoritarian regime, which has turned its power into the instrument of fear, of censorship, and hate," she added. Other speakers from left-wing and liberal groups called for EU sanctions against Hungary, including the suspension of the country's voting rights, through the so-called Article 7 process. In March, the Hungarian parliament approved a bill that in effect bans the gay pride march. As the legislation states, this event could violate Hungary's so-called child protection law, adopted earlier in the country, prohibiting any portrayal of same sex relationships for minors. The European Commission views this as a violation of its community law and has referred the case to the European Court of Justice. Conservative and far-right MEPs in the European Parliament defended Orbán's move to ban Pride events, saying the EU should not interfere in Hungary's internal affairs. MEP Kinga Gál, from the ruling Fidesz party of Hungary, said Brussels should respect Hungary's laws. "In Hungary, everyone can live and gather freely. But for us, the interest of the children and their physical and mental development is a priority. And everyone has to respect this," Gál said. The Budapest Pride is planned for the 28th of June in the centre of Budapest. According to the new law, participants will also be monitored by AI camera systems and will be fined. Around 70 MEPs will travel to the Budapest Pride, but the European Commission will not send anyone. Meanwhile, the opposition-led town of Budapest is trying to save the Pride march using a legal loophole. Mayor Gergely Karácsony announced that the city steps in as organiser, and in this case, police authorisation is not needed. The police disagree with this interpretation. "There is still a legal battle going on over whether Pride can take place legally or not. The latest development is that the Budapest mayor has come forward and said that he is organising the Pride. Because he does not need police authorisation," German MEP from the Greens, Daniel Freund, said. EU Commissioner for Justice Michael McGrath stated that the Commission is still investigating the law and is prepared to utilise all necessary tools to safeguard European values in this matter.
Euronews
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Fierce debate on Hungary's Pride ban at the European Parliament
Members of the European Parliament engaged in a fierce debate about the government's ban on the Budapest Pride event by the Viktor Orbán government. MEPs argued that the move violates freedom of expression and called on the European Commission to act. Iratxe Garcia, the group leader of the Socialists and Democrats at the European Parliament, denounced the move and called for the EU to take a strong reaction. "The last red line that the Orban government has crossed is not just an isolated fact, it's not even just an oddity of a country, it's an outright European shame. The banning of the Pride march is not just a cowardly attack against part of its people. It is yet another manifestation of an authoritarian regime, which has turned its power into the instrument of fear, of censorship, and hate," Garcia said. Other speakers from the left and liberal groups called for EU sanctions against Hungary, like the suspension of the country's voting rights, with the so-called Article 7 process. In March, the Hungarian Parliament approved a bill that in effect bans the gay pride march. As the legislation says, this event could violate the child protection law, adopted earlier in Hungary. The child protection law prohibits any portrayal of same sex relationships for minors. The European Commission sees this as a violation of the community law and referred the case to the European Court of Justice. Conservative and far-right MEPs in the European Parliament defended Viktor Orbán's move to ban pride events, saying the EU should not interfere in Hungary's internal affairs. Kinga Gál, from the ruling Fidesz party of Hungary, said Brussels should respect Hungary's laws. "In Hungary, everyone can live and gather freely. But for us, the interest of the children and their physical and mental development is a priority. And everyone has to respect this," - Gál said. The Budapest Pride is planned for the 28th of June in the centre of Budapest. According to the new law, participants will also be monitored by AI camera systems and will be fined. Around 70 MEPs will travel to the Budapest Pride, but the European Commission will not send anyone. Meanwhile, the opposition-led town of Budapest is trying to save the Pride march using a legal loophole. Mayor Gergely Karácsony announced that the city steps in as organiser, and in this case, police authorisation is not needed. The police disagree with this interpretation. "There is still a legal battle going on over whether Pride can take place legally or not. The latest development is that the Budapest mayor has come forward and said that he is organising the Pride. Because he does not need police authorisation," German MEP from the Greens, Daniel Freund, said. The EU Commissioner for Justice, Michael McGrath, says they are still investigating the law and they are ready to use all tools to safeguard European values in this matter. China has hit back at the intervention of Ursula von der Leyen at the G7 summit, during which she excoriated Beijing for perpetuating what she called a "pattern of dominance, dependency and blackmail" vis-à-vis its trading partners. "We express strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to those baseless and biased remarks that reflect double standards," Guo Jiakun, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, said on Wednesday at a press briefing. The exchange of accusations upends the perceived momentum in EU-China relations triggered by US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, which have targeted allies and adversaries alike and spread panic across the business world. The export-oriented bloc has been working the phones to secure alternative markets that can help cushion the impact of Trump's disruptive policies. With its 1.4 billion citizens, China is, for some, the most obvious choice to fill the gap. Sensing an opening, Beijing has made several overtures to curry favour with Brussels, including by lifting the controversial sanctions on members of the European Parliament and re-engaging in talks to solve the dispute over China-made electric vehicles. Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the 50th anniversary of EU-China relations as an opportunity to "open up a brighter future" in diplomacy. "Both sides should uphold multilateralism, safeguard fairness and justice (and) oppose unilateralism and bullying," Xi said, in apparent reference to Trump's duties. Von der Leyen replied: "We remain committed to deepening our partnership with China. A balanced relationship, built on fairness and reciprocity, is in our common interest." But during the G7 summit in Canada, the president of the European Commission adopted a surprisingly hawkish tone to denounce China's state-led economy and the "distortions" caused by its industrial overcapacity and heavy-handed use of subsidies. She also declared that the source of "the biggest collective problem" in the global trading system was China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. Beijing's entry into the WTO has been controversial, as it opened international markets to the mass production of low-cost exports. The admission is linked to the so-called "China shock" and a decline in manufacturing jobs in both Europe and the US. At the G7, von der Leyen warned a "new China shock" was currently underway. "China still defines itself as a developing country. This cannot be. China has largely shown that it unwillingness to live within the constraints of the rules-based international system," von der Leyen said. "While others opened their market, China focused (on) undercutting intellectual property protections, massive subsidies with the aim to dominate global manufacturing and supply chains," she went on. "This is not market competition – it is distortion with intent." In reaction, the Chinese Foreign Ministry sought to turn the tables and accused the EU of lavishing its own companies with "massive subsidies" and pursuing a policy of "European preference". The EU has similarly accused Beijing of a buy-China clause. "The so-called overcapacity story is nothing but a pretext used by relevant countries to go protectionist, simply because they fear for their own competitiveness and market shares. The problem is not 'overcapacity', but 'over-anxiety'," Guo said. "The EU is working to boost its growth and competitiveness. That requires giving up double standards, being more open and embracing cooperation." At the core of von der Leyen's intervention was Beijing's recent decision to restrict the sales of seven rare earth materials, which the Commission had described as "alarming". China holds a quasi-monopolistic position over rare earths, the 17 metallic elements that are essential for building cutting-edge technologies. The country commands roughly 60% of the world's supply and 90% of the processing and refining capacity. "China is using this quasi-monopoly not only as a bargaining chip, but also weaponising it to undermine competitors in key industries," she said. Although the restrictions have eased in recent days, von der Leyen cautioned "the threat remains" and called on the G7 to close ranks in "pressuring" China. Her remarks were made in the presence of Trump, whose administration is bent on curbing China's rise as a high-tech military superpower. Officials in Brussels hope China can be a shared point of interest to strengthen the fragile transatlantic alliance. "Donald is right – there is a serious problem," she said, appealing to the American. The Chinese Foreign Ministry dismissed these objections, insisting the country was acting in a "responsible" way and would speed up "the review and approval" of export licences, which foreign clients need to acquire the sought-after materials. "The so-called 'market distortions' and 'overcapacity' accusations are absolutely false. The G7 use them as an excuse for their trade protectionist practices, and to essentially contain and suppress China's industrial progress, and politicise and weaponise economic and trade issues," the spokesperson said. Despite the heated rhetoric, the ministry extended its hand to deepen ties with the EU, signalling the country is still hopeful for a diplomatic reset. "China stands ready to increase communication and coordination with the EU, properly handle trade differences, and achieve win-win and shared prosperity," Guo said. "That said, we firmly oppose any attempt to hurt China's right to development or even assert one's own interests at China's expense." An EU-China summit is scheduled to take place in late July.
DW
03-06-2025
- Business
- DW
What next for EU-Poland ties after Nawrocki's election win? – DW – 06/03/2025
Newly elected Polish President Karol Nawrocki is known as an EU skeptic. How can he sway Poland's EU policy, and how is he viewed in Brussels? Right-wing conservative Karol Nawrocki has won the race for the Polish presidency. During the election campaign, Nawrocki touted his affinity with US President Donald Trump and pledged a "Poland first" approach. He opposes Ukraine's accession to NATO and is perceived as an EU skeptic. Polish voters elected Nawrocki with the slimmest of margins on Monday morning, prompting reactions across all of Europe. Many heads of state and government congratulated the future Polish president. Among those belonging to the right-wing political spectrum were Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The latter enthused about a "fantastic victory" and strengthening the work of the Visegrad Group, a political alliance consisting of Poland, Hungary, The Czech Republic and Slovakia. Other heads of state and government, including Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, emphasized common values. French President Emmanuel Macron called on Poland to champion a Europe that's "strong, independent, competitive" and "respects the rule of law." EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent congratulations as well. On X, she wrote: "I'm confident that the EU will continue its very good cooperation with Poland. We are all stronger together in our community of peace, democracy, and values." Nawrocki ideologically close to PiS party Nawrocki is officially non-partisan, but entered the campaign for presidency as a candidate backed by the right-wing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party that ruled Poland between 2015 and 2023. During its term of office, the party reformed the Polish judicial system, sparking an ongoing dispute with Brussels over accusations of dismantling the rule of law. This eventually led to a so-called Article 7 procedure. The European Union's Article 7 allows for the suspension of member state rights if that state seriously and repeatedly violates the EU core values. Despite new government, Poland remains polarized To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The procedure was closed last year when the country announced it would implement the required changes. As a result, billions of euros were disbursed to Poland, funds that had previously been frozen by the EU due to concerns about the rule of law. Many Polish government proposals were vetoed by sitting President Andrzej Duda, who also has PiS leanings. Observers expect this obstructive stance to continue under the new president. The EU Commission declined to speculate on possible repercussions. In its daily press briefing, it emphasized its confidence in Poland's further implementation of reforms and its support for the country's efforts. Are new tensions with the EU over the rule of law imminent? Daniel Freund, a member of the European Parliament, fears that Poland's political deadlock will continue. He calls on the EU commission to correct its "mistake" — prematurely releasing frozen EU funds — and to continue putting pressure on Poland. Piotr Buras, Warsaw bureau head of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told DW that the EU Commission would have to take into consideration what actually happened in Poland. For example, the government under Donald Tusk had seen to it that illegal laws are no longer applied, thus removing the grounds for Article 7 proceedings. Buras believes that a renewed clash with the EU over the rule of law is out of the question with the Tusk government in power. Nawrocki is expected to obstruct the agenda of Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk (pictured above) Image: Frederic GARRIDO-RAMIREZ/European Union How will the ballot impact Poland's EU policy? According to Buras, the newly elected president does not have the chance to exert direct influence on Poland's EU policy, because according to the Polish constitution this is solely down to the government, the political scientist said. As commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the president of Poland appoints the government, signs international treaties, and has the power to veto laws. This is precisely how Nawrocki could interfere with the government's EU policy, said Buras. As soon as EU policy had to be implemented in national legislation, he could block it, thereby reducing the Tusk government's room for maneuver, he added. Buras expects such blockades in issues like the rule of law, abortion, migration and climate policy. He simultaneously pointed out that the Tusk government was itself far from progressive in the areas of migration and climate policy. EU Parliament torn between joy and skepticism Whereas Manfred Weber, chairman of the conservative European People's Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament, hoped that Nawrocki would work "constructively' with Poland's government for the country's benefit, MEP Rene Repasi believed that the Polish government was caught up in a "mess." For the social democrat, new parliamentary elections are not unlikely, because the right-wing conservative Nawrocki and the "Tusk government's progressive agenda" would get in each other's way. However, the right-wing conservative European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, which also includes Poland's PiS party, welcomed Nawrocki's election victory. Europe must remain a "community of free nations," not a "machine" that ignores "the will of the people," said the group's co-chairman, Nicola Procaccini. Political scientist Buras, however, believes that Nawrocki's election victory was not tantamount to voting against the EU. Neither PiS nor Nawrocki had ever called for Poland's exit from the bloc. At the same time, Buras added that skepticism regarding a loss of sovereignty and interference in the country's internal affairs was widespread in Poland, and Nawrocki had taken advantage of that prevailing mood. This article was originally written in German. Edited by: Jess Smee
