European Union: Be ambitious when it comes to rule of law - March 2022

25 civil society networks and organisations from across the EU have come together to put forward suggestions on EU-wide and country-specific recommendations to strengthen the European Union’s annual rule of law review process.

This includes suggestions to reinforce the reports’ impact, by formulating concrete recommendations and ensuring follow-up, make the reports enforceable and strengthen their ties with other mechanisms aimed at ensuring accountability for rule of law violations.

They also issue recommendations to make the process more transparent and inclusive by facilitating meaningful stakeholder participation, and to act upon civil society recommendations for EU-wide reforms in areas such as judicial independence, press freedom, emergency legislation’s impact on the rule of law and human rights and civic space.

The statement is complemented by a non-public working document, gathering country-specific recommendations that have been shared with the European Commission to inform the report. It follows up on previous recommendations issued by civil society in 2021.