The Members of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) discuss an update on the establishment of an EU Mechanism on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights, which would regularly assess the rule of law situation in all member states in the European Parliament in Brussels. Statements by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, and Rik DAEMS, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Establishment of an EU Mechanism on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights: extracts from the statements

Title: Establishment of an EU Mechanism on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights: extracts from the statements

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, We have a common interest to rapidly get the rule of law mechanism up and running because it is a preventive tool. I am entirely in agreement with the European Parliament  as to the need to reinforce the interinstitutional cooperation, I am ready to work hand in hand with the Parliament on these issues.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, My priority is to maximise the momentum created by the 2020 report on the rule of law, that is the real start of the annual mechanism, it is part of a cycle that is destined to go on.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, The rule of law report will be comprehensive and also cover issues in relation and the fight against corruption, the media freedom and pluralism where there is connection with the EU law and to institutional checks and balances. The rule of law developments concerning emergency measures taken in response to the Covid-19 crisis will also be reflected in the report where relevant.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, The MFF rule of law conditionality once adopted will be key to reinforce the protection of the final interests of the Union. The reasoning behind the mechanism proposed by the Commission is simple: in order to control the use of the EU funds and to protect the financial interests of the EU against corruption and fraud, we need each member state independent justice system, effective investigation and prosecution services and an effective functioning of public authorities implementing the Union's budget. If these functions are endangered by a generalised rule of law deficiency, the Union would be empowered to suspend, reduce or restrict access to EU funding in a proportionate manner.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, We have to set up a decision making process that can be applied effectively: reverse qualified majority voting proposed by the Council is an idea that has to be maintained, that is the only way to ensure the mechanism will be effective, if qualified majority voting is chosen instead, we can easily find ourselves in a dead end. I count upon your support in that regard as part of the negotiations on the MFF.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rik DAEMS, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, This is one of the priorities of the German chair received today, we have got the Greek chairmanship. The German Presidency says this is one of the absolute priorities to have in the European Union that exceed the European Convention, the European Convention of Human Rights. I mean all the needed details I suppose are more or less negotiated. It would mean that you as European Union become a part of this great unity, a great entity, doing the same thing: preserving, upholding, having the responsibility to do that concerning all the elements - the rights and the freedoms - that are contained in the European Convention.

Establishment of an EU Mechanism on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights: extracts from the statements

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Rule of law (2020)

LIBE - Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs