EESC: Ba cheart don AE dul i ngleic le sáruithe ar an smacht reachta

Disbursement of EU funds, including the Recovery Fund, must be tied to respect for the rule of law in all member states. Systematic deficiencies in the rule of law always undermine the implementation of EU-funded programmes, and the absence of a rapid and comprehensive EU response to this will jeopardise the EU's credibility, warns the EESC.

Tá seasamh dian ag Coiste Eacnamaíoch agus Sóisialta na hEorpa (EESC) maidir le sáruithe ar an smacht reachta san AE, á dhearbhú go bhfuil sé tiomanta a áirithiú go bhforchuirfidh Comhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh agus an Coimisiún Eorpach pionóis arda athchomhairleacha ar na Ballstáit a neamhaird chórasach a dhéanamh ar an smacht reachta ar bhealach a chuireann buiséad an AE i mbaol.

Sa tuairim fhéintionscanta 'Riail an dlí agus an ciste aisghabhála' adopted at its plenary session on 20 January, the EESC welcomed the EU's Rialáil 2020 / 2092, a chuireann ar chumas an Choimisiúin pionóis airgeadais a ghearradh as easnaimh chórasacha sa smacht reachta i dtír áirithe de chuid an AE, agus d'iarr sé go gcuirfí an rialachán i bhfeidhm go docht i ngach réimse a bhaineann leis an mbuiséad.

"The rule of law is the indispensable basis for a democratic, pluralistic society in Europe and for the continued existence of the EU. The EU is based on values such as individual dignity, equality, human rights and the rule of law, which should be guaranteed for everyone. These values are a part of our identity," said the rapporteur for the opinion, Críostaí Bäumler. "This is why the EU needs a functioning rule of law and independent justice systems. Otherwise it will not be fit to work."

Chun gníomhú i gcoinne mainneachtain chórasach an smacht reachta a chomhlíonadh, mhol an CESE go n-úsáidfeadh an AE gach modh smachtbhanna eile atá ar fáil dó mar aon leis na roghanna dá bhforáiltear sa Rialachán um choinníollacht buiséid (Rialachán (AE) 2020/2092). Áireofaí orthu sin an nós imeachta sáraithe dá bhforáiltear in Airteagal 263 CFAE agus an nós imeachta a leagtar amach in Airteagal 7 CAE.

Last year, Poland and Hungary brought legal action against the "regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget for breach of the principles of the rule of law", and called for the annulment of the regulation, which officially came into force in January 2021. However, the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) recommended last December that their pleas be dismissed, upholding the legality of the regulation. The CJEU's final judgment is expected in the coming days.

The rule of law is also fundamental for the EU's sustainable economic development as it guarantees investment certainty and respect for competition rules, thereby thwarting corruption and increasing trust in the legal system as a whole, which is crucial for private investment and cross-border trade.

Aiseolas

In the EESC's view, if an EU country systematically violates the rule of law, this always compromises or, at least, seriously jeopardises the implementation of EU-funded programmes and is detrimental to the EU budget.

"Member States implement a lot of programmes disbursing a lot of EU money, which should be used where needed and not disappear without trace down dark channels. The EU's own credibility is at stake here," Mr Bäumler said.

Sin an fáth a bhfuil sé sár-riachtanach go gcomhlíonfaidh tairbhithe uile na n-íocaíochtaí ó bhuiséad an Aontais rialacha trédhearcachta agus go mbeidh siad in ann a léiriú go hiomlán cad chuige a n-úsáidtear na cistí.

Má fhaightear amach go bhfuil an smacht reachta sáraithe go córasach ag Ballstát, ba cheart go mbeadh an dualgas air a chruthú gur féidir leis cur chun feidhme cuí chistí AE a ráthú gan buiséad an AE a chur i mbaol. Ba cheart é seo a shoiléiriú sa rialachán, a dúirt an EESC.

Ba cheart go leagfaí amach freisin sna pleananna náisiúnta téarnaimh agus athléimneachta, a bhí ar na Ballstáit a chur faoi bhráid an Choimisiúin chun a sciar de EUR 723.8 billiún a chur ar fáil faoi NextGenerationEU agus faoin tSaoráid Téarnaimh agus Athléimneachta, na bearta a dhéanfaidh na rialtais a neartú. an smacht reachta.

Mar sin féin, níl dóthain tionscnamh ina leith seo san áireamh i bhformhór na bpleananna náisiúnta a cuireadh isteach go dtí seo. Ina theannta sin, ina mheasúnú ar na pleananna sin, níor chuir an Coimisiún a dhóthain tábhachta ar an smacht reachta, rud is cúis aiféala don CESE.

Amach ó na pleananna téarnaimh, ba cheart go mbeadh gach clár a fhaigheann tacaíocht ó bhuiséad an AE faoi réir dlíthe náisiúnta forleathana maidir le saoráil faisnéise agus trédhearcachta, ionas go mbeadh rochtain éasca, chuimsitheach ar fhaisnéis ag comhlachtaí preasa, eagraíochtaí neamhrialtasacha agus an tsochaí shibhialta.

Ba cheart d'eagraíochtaí na sochaí sibhialta a chuireann cearta an duine agus an smacht reachta chun cinn cosaint an AE ó thionchar míchuí agus ba cheart go bhfaighidís maoiniú AE dá gcuid oibre. 

In the opinion, the EESC urged all member states to subscribe to the enhanced cooperation in the area of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, and called for this to become a prerequisite for participating in EU‑funded programmes. This cooperation is already starting to yield results and is likely to contribute in the long term to a huge improvement in cross-border criminal prosecution.

Since the newly‑created European Public Prosecutor's Office took over tasks previously assigned to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the EESC called for OLAF to be developed into a European agency for the rule of law and administrative efficiency. Its new task would be to review the rule of law in the Member States and advise the EU institutions on this matter.

To bring the concept of the rule of law closer to citizens and to explain its relevance to everyday life, the EU should launch a communication campaign with civil society entitled 'My EU – My Rights', initiating EU-wide dialogue on the importance of the rule of law, the EESC concluded.

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