On April 27 the European Commission officially launched its new rule of law disciplinary procedure for the first time against Hungary, just a couple of days after populist leader Viktor Orban secured a fourth consecutive term as prime minister. The so-called conditionality regulation empowers the European Union to protect its funds from mismanagement resulting from breaches of the rule of law, one of the key principles of the Union.
This Dods EU Political Intelligence report provides a guide to the conditionality mechanism, explaining, how and when it can be applied, and how it complements other EU measures to defend the rule of law. This report does not seek to provide insight or analysis on the specifics of the case against Hungary.