EU Judgment in Case C-123/22 Commission v Hungary: Reception of applicants for international protection II

Thursday 13th June

Judgment in Case C-123/22 Commission v Hungary (Reception of applicants for international protection II)

(Law governing the institutions)

In response to the migration crisis and to the ensuing arrival of large numbers of applicants for international protection, Hungary adapted its legislation on the right to asylum and return of illegally staying non-EU-country nationals. A law dated 2015 provided, inter alia, for the creation of transit zones situated at the Serbian-Hungarian border, where asylum procedures are applied. That law also introduced the concept of a ‘crisis situation caused by mass immigration’, leading, where such a situation is declared by the Government, to the application of derogatory rules in the guise of general rules. In 2017, a new law expanded the cases in which such a ‘crisis situation’ could be declared and amended the provisions allowing derogation from the general rules.

In 2015, the European Commission expressed its doubts to Hungary regarding the compatibility of its asylum legislation with EU law. The 2017 law raised additional concerns.

The Commission criticises Hungary in particular for having restricted access to the international protection procedure, systematically detaining applicants for international protection and forcibly deporting, to a strip of land at the border, illegally staying non-EU-country nationals, with no regard towards the substantive and procedural safeguards provided for in the Asylum Procedures, Reception Conditions and Return Directives, including the guarantees provided for in the same Return Directive.

In that context, it brought an action for failure to fulfil obligations before the Court, seeking a declaration that a substantial part of the Hungarian legislation in this particular area infringes certain provisions of the above directives.

In a judgment dated December 17, 2020 (Case C-808/18 – see press release 161/20), the Court, sitting as the Grand Chamber, upheld, for the most part, the Commission’s action for failure to fulfil obligations.

In this case the Commission is asking the Court to declare that, by failing to take all the measures necessary to comply with the aforementioned judgment of the Court of Justice, Hungary has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 260(1) TFEU and, consequently, order Hungary to pay a lump sum and a penalty payment.

Background Documents C-123/22

Donnerstag, 13. Juni 2024

Urteil des Gerichtshofs in der Rechtssache C‑123/22 Kommission / Ungarn (Aufnahme von Personen, die internationalen Schutz beantragen II)

Antrag der Kommission auf Verhängung finanzieller Sanktionen gegen Ungarn wegen unzulänglicher Umsetzung eines früheren Urteils

Mit Urteil vom 17. Dezember 2020 entschied der Gerichtshof, dass Ungarn gegen seine Verpflichtungen aus dem Unionsrecht im Bereich der Verfahren für die Zuerkennung internationalen Schutzes und der Rückführung illegal aufhältiger Drittstaatsangehöriger verstoßen hat (siehe Pressemitteilung Nr. 161/20).

Im Februar 2022 erhob die Kommission eine zweite Klage gegen Ungarn, mit der sie geltend macht, dass Ungarn nicht alle Maßnahmen ergriffen habe, die sich aus dem Urteil vom 17. Dezember 2020 ergäben. Sie hat beantragt, Ungarn zur Zahlung eines Pauschalbetrags sowie eines Zwangsgelds zu verurteilen. Ohne Schlussanträge.

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