No EU money for autocrats, oligarchs and corruption

The EPP Group is committed to protecting the rule of law by making EU budget payments conditional.

"Europe must strengthen its conditionality rules. We need a clear, coherent and unified approach to all EU rule-of-law instruments. Applying the conditionality mechanism must not be subject to bargaining or backroom negotiations. Instead, we must address the systemic methods used to exploit EU funding, methods that undermine public order and allow EU funds to feed and end up with autocrats, oligarchs and kleptocrats instead of benefitting the overwhelming majority of citizens," says Monika Hohlmeier MEP, the EPP Group's lead negotiator on the file, ahead of today's vote on the implementation of the conditionality regime in the Budgetary Control Committee.

"For the EPP Group, it is essential to avoid overcomplexity, duplications, overlaps and contradictions of rules to ensure an effective and implementable response to rule-of-law concerns. All conditionality rules must be properly coordinated and cover all programmes and measures in the Multiannual Financial Framework in a harmonised approach. Like this, we will be able to fight stronger against systemic breaches of the rule of law by public institutions, governments or other types of authorities", Hohlmeier concluded.