Rule of law report 2023: still not enough progress for the release of frozen funds

The European Commission’s annual Rule of Law report for 2023, published today, is an alarm bell showing the need for immediate and decisive measures to improve and restore the rule of law in countries across the EU, particularly in Hungary and Poland, where the situation is continuing to deteriorate.

The Renew Europe group stresses that not enough progress has been made to unfreeze any funds for the two governments, and that until the situation improves sufficiently, the concerned funds are to be transferred directly to beneficiaries via civil society and local governments upholding the rule of law. It is crucial that the EU holds its ground until the Rule of Law is restored in both countries.

Moritz Körner (FDP, Germany), Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affiars and the Renew Europe Group's shadow rapporteur on the Rule of Law report 2022, said:

“Poland and Hungary are not fit for EU funds. Poland remains the EU's rule-of-law problem child. There is still no independent judiciary in Poland and apparently no willingness on the part of the Polish government to change this situation. In Hungary, reforms have been agreed upon. In practice, however, these have not yet led to any improvement in the fight against corruption.”