EU Plans Funding Cuts to Member States That 'Put Rule of Law at Risk' - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union may propose to reduce funding to member states, such as Poland and Hungary, which the EU views as putting judicial independence at risk, media reported.

The measure, which is expected to be announced by the European Commission on Wednesday, could affect the countries where financial management is said to be endangered by the rule of law issues, according to the Financial Times newspaper.

At the same time, the newspaper said citing an EU diplomat that the regulation would "not punish" the ultimate beneficiaries of EU funds.

In December, the European Commission proposed to the Council to trigger Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union over a risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland despite "repeated efforts to engage the Polish authorities in a constructive dialogue."