EU considers reprimand over Hong Kong even without Hungary

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell has held out the prospect that the other member states could also bypass Hungary in adopting their planned declaration on Hong Kong. So far, Budapest has blocked a rebuke to Beijing over the controversial electoral law reform. The Council of EU foreign ministers wanted to adopt the declaration on Monday. Several reports indicated that the blueprints for it had been around for some time. Still, the issue was already left off the agenda for the April meeting because Hungary refused to give its consent. The other EU foreign ministers have now decided to make a „last attempt“ to reach unanimity within a week, Borrell said at a press conference after the meeting. In the absence of unanimity, the declaration would be adopted without Hungary’s vote. However, unanimity is still required for official EU declarations.