Thread by @alemannoEU

Can the EU cancel the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU?

A 🧵 based on the @ComMeijers study and draft forthcoming EU Parliament resolution

#EUCO #Hungary @HungaryintheEU

https://twitter.com/alemannoeu/status/1661725754961575938

1. Despite not being expressly foreseen, the possibility of postponing the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the Union may reveal as one of the most effective approaches to make Hungary abide by its rule of law obligations #EUCO #RuleOfLaw

2. Considering that the Hungarian Presidency is set to kick in right after the next EU Parliament elections at the time of the top appointments, the case for postponement or suspension of the presidency is set to acquire some political momentum. The following Presidency will be… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

3. The question is whether a government that has been found multiple times in breach of EU fundamental values and whose funds have been suspended may be well placed to chair one the the main EU institution: the Council of the EU.

4. Isn’t there an irreconcilable conflict between holding the rotating Presidency of the Council and being in persistent breach of EU values?

5. Despite its limited prerogatives, the Council Presidency is expected to act as ‘good broker’ and in the interest of the Union.

6. Should the Belgian and Spanish governments who precede Hungary in presiding the Council believe that such a government may affect the proper functioning of the Council they may do two things:

7. they may depotentiate 🇭🇺 presidency: all meetings having to do with the respect of the rule of law (Art. 7, suspension of EU funds, compliance with milestones, etc) may be assured by other governments (Spain/Portugal). This would go down into history as the first depotentiated… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

8. another option could entail a full suspension  of the Hungarian presidency with Belgium and Spain splitting the Hungarian’s 6 months into two. As a result their respective presidencies would last 9 months each.

9. This unprecedented threat to the Hungarian (and Polish) government(s) may prompt a badly needed political and legal debate over the conditions under which the EU may accept rebellious member states within the Union #RuleOfLaw

10. How can this be done legally ?

We may expect the EU Parliament asking - through as resolution - the European Council to rearrange the modalities of the Hungarian presidency, or ongoing troika (Belgium+Spain) to alter the conditions of their internal arrangements