Under Article 2 TEU, the EU is founded on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights.

Article 7 TEU establishes two mechanisms (preventive and sanctioning mechanisms) to enforce European Union values in cases of systemic violations and to sanction Member States departing from them. The sanctions mechanism empowers the Council to suspend certain membership rights of a Member State, including voting rights in the Council in cases of a 'serious and persistent breach' of EU values (Article 7(2) TFEU)’. However, these mechanisms require a high decision-making threshold in the Council and in the European Parliament (when Parliament is called to participate) and rely heavily on Member States’ willingness to take action.

Rule of law - 8th parliamentary term

The European Parliament already discussed the rule of law in Romania in February 2018, following massive street protests after the Romanian Parliament approved an overhaul of how the judicial system is organised and changes to rules about conflicts of interest. The criminal code and the criminal procedure code have also been modified, but these changes are currently being reviewed by the Constitutional Court.

Rule of law in Romania

Rule of law is laid down in the EU treaties as one of the values on which the Union is based. It means that governments should be bound by law, that they should not take arbitrary decisions and that citizens should be able to challenge their actions in independent courts.

In view of possible democratic backsliding in Poland and in particular due to the threat to judicial independence, the European Commission initiated in December 2017 an Article 7 procedure to address a possible risk of breach of EU common values.

The Parliament has ever since repeatedly asked the Council to act and in September 2020 warned about the continuous deterioration of the situation in the country, pointing to “overwhelming evidence” of those breaches. Following the October 2021 ruling by the Polish Constitutional, the Polish government’s challenge of the established primacy of EU law was added to Parliament’s long list of concerns.

These include the powers to revise the constitution taken on by the Polish parliament since 2015, expedited legislative procedures and electoral law changes; the broad changes to the country’s judiciary, including appointments and disciplinary procedures; the situation of freedom of expression, media freedom and pluralism; and the criminalisation of sexual education and the de facto ban on abortion.

&nbsp;An EP delegation visited Warsaw between 21-23 February.&nbsp;MEPs met politicians, judges, civil society and journalists to assess the rule of law situation, in the framework of the ongoing Article 7 procedure.

Rule of law in Poland

From the 1st of July 2021, Slovenia is holding the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. However, the country&nbsp;has also been the subject of discussions about the “rule of law” within the EU, a concept referring to respect for due process, plurality in politics and media and the upholding of civic freedoms such as free speech.

In its last 2021 Rule of Law report the EC mentioned that the situation of media in the country has been deteriorating.&nbsp;Online harassment of and threats against journalists are a growing source of concern, and several lawsuits against journalists with intimidating effects have been reported as well as&nbsp;instances of political interference in media.

Attacks on media&nbsp;have been criticized by international, European and national journalists and editors associations. The European Commission intervened various times to express its concerns.

A delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee travelled&nbsp;to&nbsp;Slovenia between 13 and 15 October to&nbsp;take stock of the latest developments in the country as regards the situation of the rule of law, media freedom and the fight against corruption including the question of Slovenian delegated prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutors Office.

Their agenda included&nbsp;exchanges with: NGOs; the Human Rights Ombudsman; academics; journalists and press freedom organisations;the Supreme State Prosecutor and former president of the Association of Public Prosecutors of Slovenia; the Data Protection Commissioner; officials of the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Culture; representatives from the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption; members of the National Assembly; the President of the National Council; and the Presidents of the Constitutional Court and the Court of Auditors.

At the end of the mission, Sophie in ‘t Veld, the Chair of the Civil Liberties Committee delegation, said: "“We observed that the public institutions overall work well. At the same time, the delegation experienced a climate of hostility, distrust and deep polarisation in the country, which erodes trust in and between various public bodies."

Rule of law in Slovenia

EP Plenary session - Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law report

Sophie IN'T VELD (Renew, NL) Chair of the LIBE delegation to Greece, gives a press conference in Athens on the conclusions of the fact-finding mission. The fact-finding mission is organised under the remit of the Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) and in line with the DRFMG (working group on Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights) mandate. The aim of the mission is to take stock of the new developments in the country, and to continue the DRFMG work dedicated to the situation in Greece, with special focus on the situation of the rule of law, fight against corruption and media freedom. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Sophie IN'T VELD (Renew, NL) Chair of the LIBE delegation to Greece, on the conclusions of the fact-finding mission

From 20 to 21 February, a delegation of ten MEPs visits Budapest, Hungary, to learn more about allegations of spyware abuse targeting journalists, the opposition and civil society. During their two-day visit, the MEPs speak with the leadership of the Hungarian National Assembly’s Committee on National Security, the President of the National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Dr. Attila Péterfalvi, journalists and NGO representatives. The visit finishes with a press conference by Jeroen LENAERS, PEGA Chair and Sophia IN'T VELD, Rapporteur.

Press conference by Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), PEGA Chair and Sophia IN'T VELD (Renew, NL), Rapporteur, following the visit of the PEGA delegation in Budapest (Hungary)

Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexey Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia. Closing statement by Janez LENARČIČ, European Commissioner for Crisis Management:

The recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexey Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia

EPRS identifies and frames some of the top key issues that might feature prominently in public debate and on the political agenda of the European Union this year. In times of crises and war, what are the challenges we must face and choices we have to make? Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Protecting media freedom and journalists

Powerful. Moving. Visionary. There were speeches in the history of the European Union that have made Europe the way it is today. In this short video, you can see a selection of famous quotes from:TIMOTHY GARTON ASH, LOUISE WEISS, FRANÇOIS MITTERRAND, HELMUT KOHL, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, NADIA MURAD, TOOMAS ILVES, TIMOTHY SNYDER, ROBERTA METSOLA, SVIATLANA TSIKHANOUSKAYA, VACLAV HAVEL, GRETA THUNBERG Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely. Powerful. Moving. Visionary. There were speeches in the history of the European Union that have made Europe the way it is today. In this short video, you can see a selection of famous quotes from:

EPRS - Speeches that have made Europe

To mark the 10th anniversary of Parliament's democracy support activities, MEPs and representatives of the democracy support community gather at a high-level event on ‘Supporting Parliamentary Democracy Worldwide: Building democratic resilience’. Roberta METSOLA, EP President, opens the event with a speech.

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Rule of law - 8th parliamentary term

Rule of law in Romania

Rule of law in Poland

Rule of law in Slovenia

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Press conference by Sophie IN'T VELD (Renew, NL) Chair of the LIBE delegation to Greece, on the conclusions of the fact-finding mission

Press conference by Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), PEGA Chair and Sophia IN'T VELD (Renew, NL), Rapporteur, following the visit of the PEGA delegation in Budapest (Hungary)

The recent deterioration of the inhuman imprisonment conditions of Alexey Navalny and other political prisoners in Russia

EPRS - Protecting media freedom and journalists

EPRS - Speeches that have made Europe

10 Years of Supporting Democracy beyond the EU: opening speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

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EP Plenary session - Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law report

EP Plenary session - Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law report

EP Plenary session - Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law report

EP Plenary session - Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law report

EP Plenary session - Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law report

EP Plenary session - Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law report