Brussels refers Hungary to EU Court over release of human smugglers
- The European Commission referred Hungary to the EU Court on May 8, 2025, for not properly sanctioning migrant smuggling under EU law.
- This referral concerns Hungary’s April 2023 decree that permits early release of individuals convicted of migrant smuggling, requiring their deportation from Hungary within three days to complete a reintegration detention period in their country of origin or habitual residence.
- The Commission stated the decree undermines effective deterrence, fails to impose proportionate sanctions required by Council Directive 2002/90/EC and Framework Decision 2002/946/JHA.
- The decree allows individuals convicted of smuggling to be released after serving a minimal portion of their sentence and mandates they leave Hungarian territory promptly—within three days—to complete their 'reintegration detention' in their former country of residence or nationality, thereby weakening enforcement efforts.
- The case highlights EU concerns over inconsistent enforcement across member states, risking Hungary becoming a transit point and possibly leading to fines or further legal actions.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Brussels refers Hungary to EU Court over release of human smugglers
The European Commission has referred Hungary to the European Court of Justice over its controversial policy of releasing convicted human smugglers from prison before they complete their sentence, citing violations of EU criminal law obligations.
Brussels Targets Hungary for Defending Its Borders—Again
Hungary has come under attack again by the European Commission, which on Wednesday, May 7th, announced it would be taking the Central European country to court for breaching rules on combating people-trafficking.Hungary has for years been punished by Brussels for pursuing strict anti-immigration policies, closing its borders to illegal migrants, and forcing asylum seekers to apply for protection in Hungary’s embassy in neighbouring Serbia.Last y…
The European Commission and the government of Viktor Orbán add up to a new dispute. The Community Executive has reported on Wednesday that it will bring Hungary to European justice for releasing more than 1,000 human traffickers in 2023. On the pretext that it could not take charge of the stay of these people in prison – arrested for facilitating the illegal entry of migrants into the country – Budapest took them out of prison and gave them 72 h…
Under the condition of leaving the country, Hungary has released hundreds of smugglers from prison early on, and the EU Commission sees this as a violation of EU law.
Hungary previously released at least 2,000 foreign people smugglers from prison and ordered them to leave the country, a move the European Commission says violates European law.
According to the European Commission, the Hungarian government is violating EU law and undermining joint EU efforts against migrant smuggling with its "reintegration detention".
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