Romania’s new justice ordinance could trigger Article 7, EU commissioner says

The activation of Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union is an option in case the Romanian Government passes the emergency ordinances the Justice Ministry drafted and submitted to the Magistrates Body CSM for review, EU Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova hinted in Bucharest amid tense situation related to the rule of law in Romania.

The European Commission has not yet discussed the activation of Article 7 in the case of Romania, but the way forward depends on what will happen in the following days, the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova said on April 4 in Bucharest, where she attended the “European Day of Competition and Consumers” conference, local Agerpres reported.

Jourova was asked by the media what measures the European Commission would take if Romania's Government adopted the emergency ordinances amending the justice laws and criminal codes.

“I won't speculate on this issue. […] To us, these two ordinances are steps in a very wrong direction, and we are waiting for reactions from the Government, hoping that the Government will get back on the normal path that was so positive and successful in the past ten years. I won’t speculate about the next steps, but there will be a reaction,” Jourova said.

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