Commenting on the European Commission's announcement to pursue investigations on the issues related to the retirement age of judges and data protection in Hungary, Joseph Daul, Chairman of the EPP Group, said:

"The European Union is based on democracy, rule of law and fundamental values. Each Member State of the European Union must comply with these rules, with no exception. The EPP Group fully endorses today's assessment from the Commission and calls on Hungary to meet its commitments to remove all questions relating to EU laws and norms."

"The clearest way to show what the rule of law means to us in everyday life is to recall what happens when there is no rule of law. I ask Prime Minister Orbán to make sure that anything that is not in accordance with EU common standards be corrected as he himself promised in the European Parliament."

For further information:

Joseph DAUL MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, Tel: +32-2-2847525

Antoine Ripoll, Chairman's Spokesman, Tel: +32-475-856290

Delia Vlase, Chairman's Deputy Spokeswoman, Tel: +32-476-331038

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 271 Members.