‘Not there yet’: Rule of law conditionality trilogues continue
The talks by the EP and Council will continue on Thursday when the co-legislators will meet for the fourth trilogue on mechanism to link the EU funds to the respect of rule of law.
After conclusion of the third round of informal legislative negotiations with the Council, EP negotiators said on Tuesday:
“Some progress was made today but we are not there yet. The EP’s position is clear: we need a functioning mechanism that works in practice and protects the final recipients of the EU money. 77% of the EU taxpayers have confirmed that this is what they expect from the EU legislators“.
Next steps
The next round of informal inter-institutional negotiations is scheduled to take place on Thursday the 29th October.
EP negotiating team on Rule of Law conditionality
Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE) (Co-chair, Budgetary control)
Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE) (Co-chair, Budgets)
Petri Sarvamaa (EPP, FI) (Co-rapporteur)
Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D, ES) (Co-rapporteur)
Terry Reintke (Greens/EFA, DE) (LIBE rapporteur)
Lefteris Christoforou (EPP, CY)
Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, DE)
Alexandra Geese (Greens/EFA, DE)
Background
The European Parliament has been ready to start inter-institutional negotiations on the “rule of law conditionality” regulation since January 2019, when MEPs approved their first reading position. The EP’s main demands were:
– to link EU funds to the respect to the rule of law and fundamental rights in member states;
– an “applicable mechanism” that actually can be triggered;
– to protect the beneficiaries (final recipients of EU funds);
– to include the Parliament in any decision to trigger the mechanism, and
– a panel of independent experts to assist the Commission.
In a recent EU-wide survey (conducted October 2020), 77% of Europeans insisted that the EU should only provide funds to member states if the national government implements the rule of law and democratic principles.
