EC launches infringement procedures against Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland over failures on refugee relocation
The European Commission said that it had launched infringement procedures on June 14 against the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland for non-compliance with their obligations under the 2015 European Council decisions on relocation of refugees.
“Despite the Commission’s repeated calls for action, these three countries remain in breach of their legal obligations and have shown disregard for their commitments to Greece, Italy and other member states,” the Commission said.
The council decisions require EU countries to pledge available places for relocation every three months to ensure a swift and orderly relocation procedure.
“Whereas Hungary has not taken any action at all since the relocation scheme started, Poland has not relocated anyone and not pledged since December 2015. The Czech Republic has not relocated anyone since August 2016 and not made any new pledges for over a year,” the Commission said.
The Commission said that it had previously announced in the 12th Relocation and Resettlement report presented on May 16 that those EU countries that have not relocated anyone, or have not pledged for almost a year, breaching their legal obligations, should start doing so immediately and within a month.
” As announced yesterday in the 13th report on relocation and resettlement, since no action has yet been taken by the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland to meet their legal obligations, the Commission has decided today to launch infringement procedures and address letters of formal notice to these three member states,” the European Commission said.
(Photo: J Owens/VOA)
