MEPs discuss with Council's Presidency and Commission's President the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 14-15 December 2023, in particular on the €50 billion financial aid package for Ukraine that has been vetoed by Hungary. The Parliament also debate on the agenda of the special European Council on 1 February 2024, during which an agreement on the mid-term review of the EU’s long-term 2021-2027 budget (multiannual financial framework, MFF) and financial aid to Ukraine will be discussed. MEPs additionally debate on the Rule of law situation with Hungary and possible actions to take.

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

REINTKE, Terry (Greens/EFA, DE)

EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (T)

EU - Hungary (T)

MARQUES, Pedro (S&D, PT)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

PROCACCINI, Nicola (ECR, IT)

LAHBIB, Hadja (BE)

European Council meeting 14-15 December 2023 (T)

special meeting of the European Council 1 February 2024 (T)

Joint debate on European Council meetings: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (French), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, For its part, the Council remains determined to act quickly as soon as the Commission presents a proposal concerning the measures currently applicable to Hungary and with regard to the enabling conditions it is up to the Commission to assess and monitor compliance with these conditions before any financing is made available to Hungary and then disbursed. The Council is not involved in this process.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Last May, Hungary passed a new law on justice reform that addresses a number of our recommendations from the 2022 report. It is a law that strengthens judicial independence and limits the possibility of political interference in the judiciary. This was required for Hungary to meet the conditions for cohesion funds. This is what we requested and this is what Hungary delivered.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, At the same time, around &euro;20 billion remain frozen. They are suspended for reasons that include concerns on LGBTQ rights, academic freedom and asylum rights. Some are blocked under the conditionality mechanism and they will remain blocked until Hungary fulfils all the necessary conditions. In the meantime, Hungary has also received pre-financing under repower. Like any other member state. This pre-financing is not subject to any condition. These are the rules. We have all agreed to them and we will follow them. This is what makes the rule of law stand out from arbitrary power.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Hungary is since long time here in this parliament, seen as a difficult case. We have initiated an article seven case against Hungary, and if I may say so, it's great to hear the Council telling us that the Council commission decision must be assessed. But the most important thing, what I would see, what I would love to see from the council side, is to answer our request on article seven, because that is on the table. And until now, the leaders had no courage and obviously no time even to discuss the Hungarian case on on substance on council side. So please answer the demand from the Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Pedro MARQUES (S&amp;D, PT), Whoever leads the Council on its special meeting on the 1st of February needs to show enough strength and leadership to overcome the blackmail of Orban and deliver on the EU budget and the support to Ukraine. Europe is again, yet again, at an existential moment. Europeans are looking at us. European leaders need to show that they can actually be respected by our citizens and the whole world.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (Renew, BE), The appeal that I want to launch to you, hopefully, I think in the name of the vast majority of this Parliament, is stay inside the treaties. And pick up your road that you have as the guardian of the treaties, because there are sufficient solutions to give this money to Ukraine inside the provisions of the treaty of today.

SOUNDBITE (English), Terry REINTKE (Greens/EFA, DE), What else will you let happen? Hungary becoming even more of an autocracy. Europe becoming weaker and weaker for its own citizens because we are not delivering on the tasks that the citizens demand for the support of Ukraine. Seriously, colleagues, time is up. Ukrainians are losing their lives. Ukrainians are fighting also for our freedom. And we have Putin's best servant sitting at the table in the European Council, blocking our support and our credibility at this crucial stage. This is a joke and this is a very bad joke.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Nicola PROCACCINI (ECR, IT), I find it myopic the constant attacks to Hungary that also today here is pouring against us.