EU Launches Infringement Procedure Over 'National Sovereignty Law'

The European Commission has confirmed that it has launched an infringement procedure against Hungary "for violating EU law on the Defence of Sovereignty". According to the Commission, "the Hungarian legislation at stake violates several provisions of primary and secondary EU law, among others the democratic values of the Union; the principle of democracy and the electoral rights of EU citizens; [and] several fundamental rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights,"

• The generally anti-gov't Nepszava outlet reportsthat the law "...declares it a crime punishable by up to three years in prison if a party accepts "prohibited foreign aid"[...] , and sets up a new state administration body, the Sovereignty Protection Office, [...]. This Office for the Protection of Sovereignty can accuse, discredit, and brand almost anyone as a foreign agent without any meaningful legal remedy."
• Hungary has been pushing hard to access EUR23bn in frozen EU funding, with its backtracking on Ukraine aid at last week's EUCO summit seen as an effort to placate Brussels and potentially move along the path to accessing the finances. The launching of a new infringement procedure would seem to indicate that the EU is in no mood to release funds any time soon, and indeed is looking to double-down on its pressure for PM Viktor Orban to rein in his controversial legislative package.