Infringements
(Brussels) Today, the European Commission decided to refer Hungary to the EU Court of Justice for non compliance of this country’s laws with EU laws about asylum and repatriation. It was made known by a public notice of the Commission, saying today’s decision was preceded by the infringement proceedings against Hungary started in December 2015, and by a reasoned opinion of December 2017. The referral decision originates from the fact that “most of the concerns raised have not been faced, yet”, in spite of Hungary’s replies. Among the things Hungary is accused of: violations in managing “transit areas” on external borders; impossibility to access asylum procedures for the people in the country, since irregular migrants are taken out of the country even if they want to apply for asylum; repatriation methods. Moreover, today the Commission sent Hungary a “letter of formal notice” about the law recently passed, the so-called “Stop Soros” law, “criminalising supporting activities in favour of asylum or residence permit claimants, further limiting the right to seeking asylum”. Among the critical elements listed: limitation of the “right of asylum-seekers to communicate with or to be assisted by competent national, international or non-governmental organisations”.
