The European Union as soon as this week may trigger a new tool that allows it to withhold budget payments to member states that fail to adhere to the bloc’s democratic standards. The so-called conditionality mechanism came into force this year and hasn’t yet been used by the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm. If utilized, the mechanism could freeze billions of euros in budgetary payments bound for member states. “It’s a question of days or weeks, maximum,” EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said in an interview with Bloomberg Television when asked when the bloc would use the tool. More broadly when ... (full story)