A senior adviser to the European Court of Justice recommended on Thursday that the top EU court dismiss a challenge by Poland and Hungary against the bloc's power to curb budget payments over rule-of-law breaches
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd December, 2021) A senior adviser to the European Court of Justice recommended on Thursday that the top EU court dismiss a challenge by Poland and Hungary against the bloc's power to curb budget payments over rule-of-law breaches.
Advocate-General Manuel Campos Sanchez-Bordona said in a legal opinion that the European Union acted lawfully when it adopted the regime of financial conditionality last year that linked disbursements to member states' respect for rule of law.
"The Advocate General considers that rules introduced by EU institutions that seek, in specific areas, to respond to certain breaches of that value which affect budgetary management are compatible with the Treaties," the adviser said in the paper.
This opinion is non-binding but the Luxembourg-based court looks up to the advocate-general. A final decision on the legal challenge is expected later.
The EU parliament adopted the conditionality regulation last December after the bloc accused Hungry and Poland of curtailing judicial and media freedoms. The mechanism took effect in January but is yet to be applied to the two nations, who argue that such financial penalties are unlawful.
