Fundamental rights and the rule of law – Report on the visit to Germany and authorities’ observations on the report

As part of the EESC’s efforts to promote fundamental rights and the rule of law, a delegation of the EESC’s Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law visited Germany on 28-29 August 2025. The delegation met with several representatives of civil society, more specifically civil society organisations (CSOs), the social partners, the media, and the legal professions. A separate meeting was held with the German authorities, during which they had the opportunity to react to some of the points presented to them. The aim of this report is to faithfully reflect and reproduce the views of civil society. The last visit of the EESC’s Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group to Germany had been on 21-22 April 2021.

The above-mentioned meetings were framed under the five following themes:

• Fundamental rights related to social partners
• Freedom of association and freedom of assembly
• Freedom of expression and freedom of the media
• Non-discrimination
• The rule of law

The input received during the meetings has been included in a report drafted by the delegation members. This report has been communicated to the German authorities, which in turn submitted their reply.