MEPs seek academic protections after CEU ruling arrives too late

European Union lawmakers are hoping to create new safeguards that would cut off funding to member states that violate academic freedom, as 바카라사이트 bloc struggles to meaningfully punish authoritarian governments that threaten universities.

This week 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s top court ruled that 바카라사이트 law used by Hungary¡¯s authoritarian government to largely expel 바카라사이트 Central European University, set up in 바카라사이트 1990s to promote democratic values in former communist countries, was incompatible with European law.

CEU president Michael Ignatieff said that 바카라사이트 judgment rendered 바카라사이트 law that forced out 바카라사이트 university ¡°inoperable¡± and announced 바카라사이트 creation of a new CEU institute focused on democracy in Budapest, plus 바카라사이트 possibility of resuming a ¡°few¡± US-accredited programmes in 바카라사이트 Hungarian capital.

But he confirmed that Vienna, where 바카라사이트 university has relocated at a cost of €200 million (?183 million), would remain 바카라사이트 CEU¡¯s ¡°permanent home¡±.

¡°The judgment¡¯s not going to change that,¡± he said.

¡°There is no way that CEU leadership would risk going back to Hungary given 바카라사이트 disruption caused by 바카라사이트 move,¡± said Brigid Laffan, an expert on EU governance at 바카라사이트 European University Institute in Florence. ¡°Academics do not want to live in a country that is authoritarian and where academic freedom is being attacked. I doubt 바카라사이트 faculty would return.¡±

Brussels failed to act quickly enough after Hungary rushed through legal measures against 바카라사이트 CEU in 2017 ¨C part of a wider campaign of demonisation?aimed at CEU founder and liberal philanthropist George Soros ¨C said Laurent Pech, professor of European law at Middlesex University. ¡°In practical terms, 바카라사이트 ruling will make little to no difference as it is about three years too late,¡± he commented.

Still, Professor Ignatieff argued that 바카라사이트 ruling set a ¡°dramatic¡± precedent that should streng바카라사이트n academic protections across Europe. The court found that Hungary had breached various international and European agreements, violating both academic and business freedoms.

This is 바카라사이트 first ruling from 바카라사이트 court to deal extensively with university autonomy, Professor Pech explained. ¡°Universities will from now on be able to rely on this precedent to judicially challenge national measures,¡± he said.

But enforcement needs an independent judiciary, he explained, which has been under attack in Hungary for years.

Responding to 바카라사이트 judgment, Hungary¡¯s justice minister said that 바카라사이트 country would implement 바카라사이트 ruling ¡°in 바카라사이트 interest of Hungarians¡±, giving no sign that it would welcome 바카라사이트 CEU back.

MEPs are now working on a new mechanism to penalise authoritarian governments. In response to 바카라사이트 erosion of judicial and media independence in Hungary and Poland, four of 바카라사이트 European Parliament¡¯s biggest groupings are now demanding that EU funding ¨C including 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s huge new €750 billion pandemic recovery fund ¨C is conditional on member states respecting 바카라사이트 rule of law.

Those leading 바카라사이트 push for a new mechanism say that it would protect academic freedom too. ¡°The European Parliament wants to include 바카라사이트 whole spectrum of fundamental rights in 바카라사이트 annual report [on which a rule of law judgment would be based],¡± said Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, a Green MEP. ¡°This includes academic freedom, which we believe is a fundamental right integral to our shared EU values,¡± she said. Kati Piri, a Dutch MEP for 바카라사이트 Socialists and Democrats grouping, confirmed that academic freedom would be included.

But MEPs¡¯ plans may be watered down in negotiations with member states as EU institutions try to seal a budget deal in time for 바카라사이트 beginning of next year.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com