CCBE Contribution for the 2025 Rule of Law Report

The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) issued this report in February 2025 as a contribution for the 2025 Rule of Law Report.

In this input the CCBE lists its actions, activities and policy documents relevant to different rule of law related aspects. This submission is accompanied by contributions received from the national Bars and Law Societies of 27 EU Member States (Annex 1) and 4 EU candidates countries (Annex 2) on different rule of law related developments in their respective countries, with a particular focus on those posing a risk and undermining the independence of lawyers and Bars, access to justice, quality of justice, fundamental rights and freedoms. They have also provided some positive examples and best practices relevant to this assessment. In the conclusion part of the document, only some examples and developments in the justice systems of concrete countries are briefly mentioned. Specific cases, concrete examples, and trends are listed and explained in detail in the Annex to this contribution.

For example, members of the CCBE reported about the concerns and trends posing a risk to the independence of the legal profession and functioning of the justice system in the following areas:

• confidentiality of lawyer-client communications;
• physical, online or legal threats or harassment of lawyers;
• legal provisions and policies which could negatively influence the independence of the Bar and lawyers;
• cooperation between the national Bar and the executive branch of the government and supervisory authorities;
• implementation of the case law of national, European, and international courts;
• legal aid;
• digitalisation of justice;
• other relevant national developments in various areas.