Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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35. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his position on the invocation of the Article 7 procedure following the Sargentini report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40102/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On 12 September 2018, the European Parliament, under A7 of the Treaty on European Union, adopted a reasoned proposal to the Council, inviting the Council to determine whether there is a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the European Union is founded.

The President of the European Parliament formally communicated this proposal to the President of the Council of the European Union, the Austrian Chancellor Mr Sebastian Kurz on 18 September.

The Austrian Presidency will now determine how it intends to take this forward.

Fundamental values and the rule of law are a shared EU interest and call for a common approach. Our concerns about issues relating to the rule of law in Hungary are well known and were raised by the Taoiseach when he met with Prime Minister Orban on 4 January last.