What changed

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

P10_TA(2025)0343

on the implementationImplementation of the rule of law conditionality regime

(2025/2061(INI))

Committee on Budgets, Committee on Budgetary Control

PE774.270

European Parliament resolution of 18 December 2025 on the implementation of the rule of law conditionality regime (2025/2061(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights and the protocols thereto,

– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget (Conditionality Regulation) and to the Commission communication of 18 March 2022 entitled ‘Guidelines on the application of the Regulation (EU, EURATOM) 2020/2092 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget’ (2022 Guidelines),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF Regulation),

76. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the European Court of Auditors, the Court of Justice of the European Union and to the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Background

In December 2020, as part of the legislative package on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, the Parliament and the Council adopted a Regulation on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the EU budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law (the ‘Conditionality Regulation’). The rule of law conditionality mechanism forms part of the EU’s ‘rule of law toolbox’, which should ensure adherence of all Member States to the rule of law, which is one of the fundamental values enshrined in Article 2 TEU. The Conditionality Regulation is to protect the EU’s budget and financial interests in the case of breaches of the rule of law, which affect the financial management of the EU budget or the protection of the EU’s financial interests. Under the Regulation, the Commission is obliged to monitor the situation in all Member States. So far, the mechanism has only been triggered once, in December 2022 against Hungary. Following two reassessments of the situation by the Commission, the measures are still in place, and Hungary has already lost EUR 1 billion, which have been irreversibly decommitted.

Aim and timing of the report

Since the conditionality mechanism has been in place for almost five years, it is an opportune moment for Parliament to assess its application and to draw lessons for the future, in particular in view of the forthcoming discussions on the post-2027 MFF. In this context, the co-rapporteurs wish to put particular emphasis on the transparency of the process, areas of applicability, revision of the guidelines, deterrent effect, and the scrutiny role of the Parliament.