Council of the 
 
 
 European Union 
   
 
Brussels, 22 November 2019 
(OR. en) 
    14402/19 
 
 
 
 
LIMITE 
 
JAI 1230 
 
 
FREMP 171 
AG 59 
POLGEN 188 
 
NOTE 
From: 
General Secretariat of the Council 
To: 
Permanent Representatives Committee/Council 
Subject: 
Values of the Union - Hungary - Article 7 (1) TEU Reasoned Proposal - 
scope of the hearing of Hungary on 10 December 2019 
 
 
 
1. 
On 12 September 2018, the European Parliament adopted a Reasoned Proposal for a 
Council decision determining, pursuant to Article 7(1) of the TEU, the existence of a 
clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded1.  
2. 
The provisional agenda for the Council meeting (General Affairs) on 10 December 2019 
includes an item "Values of the Union - Hungary - Article 7 (1) TEU Reasoned proposal 
- Hearing of Hungary in accordance with Article 7(1) TEU". 
3. 
On 18 July 2019, the Council approved standard modalities for hearings referred to in 
Article 7(1) TEU2.  These modalities set out that the substantive scope of the issues to 
be covered by a hearing shall be agreed by Coreper in keeping with the scope of the 
issues raised in the Reasoned Proposal triggering the procedure of Article 7(1) TEU. 
                                                 
1 12266/1/18 REV1 + ADD1 
2 10641/2/19 REV2 
 
14402/19  
 
GSC/es 
1 
 
JAI.A 
LIMITE 
EN 
 

---

  
 
4. 
Hungary was heard by the Council for the first time on 16 September 2019 and this 
introductory hearing covered all the issues raised in the Reasoned Proposal by the 
European Parliament.  
5. 
It is therefore suggested that the second hearing of Hungary focuses on three issues 
only, in order to allow the Council to have an in-depth assessment of the situation in 
Hungary as regards those elements. 
6. 
In view of the above, Coreper is requested to approve the issues to be covered by the 
hearing of Hungary on 10 December 2019, as set out in the Annex to this note. 
 
 
 
14402/19  
 
GSC/es 
2 
 
JAI.A 
LIMITE 
EN 
 

---

  
ANNEX 
 
Issues to be covered by the hearing of Hungary on 10 December 2019, as presented in the 
annex to the resolution of the European Parliament of 12 September 2018 on a proposal 
calling on the Council to determine, pursuant to Article 7 (1) of the Treaty on European 
Union, the existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the 
Union is founded (2017/2131(INL) (doc 12266/1/18 REV1, 12266/18 REV1 COR1 and 
12266/18 ADD1) 
 
(1)  independence of the judiciary and of other institutions and the rights of judges;  
(2)  freedom of expression;  
(3)  academic freedom. 
 
14402/19  
 
GSC/es 
3 
 
JAI.A 
LIMITE 
EN 
 

---