Press Release: European Commission closes infringement procedure on forced retirement of Hungarian judges

On 20 November 2013 the European Commission formally closed the legal proceedings launched against Hungary on 17 January 2012 over the country’s forced early retirement of around 274 judges and public prosecutors. This had been caused by a sudden reduction in the mandatory retirement age for these professions from 70 to 62. Following the Commission’s legal action, the Court of Justice of the EU upheld the Commission's assessment that the change was incompatible with EU equal treatment law which prohibits discrimination at the workplace on grounds of age. Following calls by the Commission for Hungary to comply with the judgement as soon as possible, the country took the necessary measures and adopted changes to its law.