Law & Justice

EU Begins Enforcing Rules Against Tax Avoidance

January 02, 2019

In a recent press release, the European Commission highlighted EU rules that entered into force this week discouraging “aggressive tax planning” through measures including a requirement that EU members tax corporate profits shifted to certain offshore jurisdictions.
Poland Accedes to ECJ Order on Judicial Retirement Law

December 19, 2018

EurActiv reports that, this week, the Polish government complied with an order from the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) demanding the suspension of a law lowering the retirement age of the country’s Supreme Court judges pending a final ECJ decision on the law in 2019.
NGO: EU Institutions Must Make Examples of Hungary, Poland

December 19, 2018

Philippe Dam of nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch has criticized the EU Council and European Commission for these institutions’ failure to effectively clamp down on Hungary and Poland for alleged violations of the rule of law and fundamental rights.
ECJ Rules UK Can Cancel Brexit Process

December 18, 2018

The Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) has held that the UK can “revoke unilaterally” the notification of its intent to leave the EU prior to the end of the two-year withdrawal process.
EC Publishes Action Plan Against Disinformation

December 17, 2018

The European Commission (EC) recently presented an EU-wide action plan on countering disinformation to protect Europe’s “democratic systems and public debates” in advance of the 2019 European Parliamentary elections, including by setting up a Rapid Alert System to inform EU institutions and member states about disinformation threats.
Italy Plans New Budget to Avoid EU Punishment

December 14, 2018

Politico reports that Italian officials indicate they will respond to pressure from the European Commission over their planned 2019 budget by dialing back spending to avoid up to EUR 9 billion in sanctions under the EU’s excessive deficit procedure.
ECJ Forces Poland to Reverse Judicial Retirement Policy

December 10, 2018

In November, the Polish Parliament passed an amendment to the country’s judicial reform law reversing course on lowering the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, in compliance with an order from the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) to suspend the policy change.
Irish Court Surrenders Man to Poland Despite Judicial Controversy

December 10, 2018

The Irish Times reports that Ireland’s High Court has ordered authorities to surrender a man wanted in Poland on drug trafficking charges under the terms of the European Arrest Warrant because alleged “generalised and systemic” violations of Polish judicial independence did not threaten the suspect’s right to a fair trial.
EC Proposes Counterterrorism Mandate for EU Prosecutor

December 04, 2018

In September, the European Commission (EC) proposed extending the powers of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which now focuses solely on criminal misuse of EU funds and fraud in the value-added tax (VAT) system, to tackle cross-border terrorism.
EP Launches Legal Process Against Hungary

December 03, 2018

In September, the European Parliament (EP) voted to launch an EU legal process under which EU member states could impose sanctions against Hungary, including suspending its EU voting rights, in light of allegations that Hungary has violated EU values in areas including judicial independence, freedom of expression, and minority rights.