Europe aims to become self-sufficient in the area of semiconductor production and the European Commission has positive evaluations for North Macedonia. In other news: Commission President von der Leyen visits flooded areas in Slovenia, European citizens want more action against disinformation online and July 2023 has officially been the hottest month ever recorded.
In an unprecedented move, the EU Commission has proposed freezing the 65 percent of the EU cohesion funds for Hungary, namely 7.5 billion euro, over concerns about rule of law. On the other side, European Commission officials conditionally approved Budapest’s 5.8-billion-euro recovery plan. Now, it will up to the EU member states to decide on both issues that could come with high political stakes.
The renewal of the Spanish General Council of the Judiciary has been blocked for four years now. As Spain will hold the EU Council presidency in the second half of 2023, Brussels is urging the country to end the deadlock in the appointment of new incumbents to important judicial positions.
For the first time since ever the EU Commission has proposed to freeze payments to a member state, in this case Hungary, for violating the rule of law and alleged corruption. Now the member states will have to decide.
Brussels has proposed suspending the disbursement of 7, 5 billion euros to Hungary. The EU Commission wants a new media law: Slovenia welcomes the plan which would also have to be applied by candidate countries. Also: EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue their migration cooperation and Croatia obtained 8.13 billion euros in EU funds over the last nine years.