PM: withholding EU funds would contradict EU rules

According to PM Beata Szydło, Germany proposition that would freeze access to EU finds for countries that do not meet the bloc's standards on the rule law is against EU rules. “Proposals to withhold structural funds for selected member states is simply contradictory to EU treaties,” Szydło said. The proposal, not yet revealed officially, but seen by several media outlets suggests that the cohesion funds could be blocked if a member state's rule of law standards have been criticized by the European Commission. “The possibility should be investigated of whether the receipt of EU cohesion funds could be linked to adherence to fundamental rule of law principles,” the document stated. Recently, both Poland and Hungary have faced such criticism.