Discharge 2024: General budget of the EU - European Council and Council

Tabled by Ondřej Knotek

30. Stresses that Removed: while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Removed: Treaties, its application can, in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas, affect the timelines and effectiveness of the Union, including by paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmail by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law; reiterates in this sense its regret regarding the Hungarian government’s obstructive stance within the European Council; notes that ongoing political deadlocks continue to undermine trust and the European Council’s effectiveness; calls for targeted treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements, within the existing Treaty framework, to strengthen transparency, democratic decision making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council’s work; reiterates in this context its call for the Council of Ministers to move from unanimity to qualified majority voting for decisions in areas of strategic interest to the Union; notes further that the unanimity requirement has been a significant impediment to effectively responding to Russia’s action, in particular on the imposition of sanctions which are subject to renewal every three months, thereby risking the weakening of the Union’s capacity to act decisively and transparently and undermining citizens’ trust and the Union’s credibility as a geopolitical actor; calls on the Council to shift to qualified majority voting in critical areas, notably sanction regimes, in order for the Union to be able to act effectively in the face of global challenges; Added: Treaties and acts as a safeguard to national sovereignty in sensitive policy areas; highlights that its use constitutes a legitimate expression of democratic accountability by Member States’ governments towards their national parliaments and citizens; underlines that any debate on decision-making efficiency must fully respect the Treaties and cannot undermine the principle of conferral between the Union and its Member States;

Wording as published by the EP, in English. PE783.202