EU Parliament Calls for Action on Rule‑of‑Law Report

What the resolution is about

• The European Parliament (EP) reacts to the Commission’s 2025 “Rule‑of‑Law” report.
• It asks the Commission to act on the report, strengthen EU tools for protecting the rule of law, and ensure EU money is paid only to states that respect democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights.

Why the EP is concerned

• Rule of law & democracy – Independent courts, checks on the executive and political interference are still weak in several member states, especially Hungary and Poland.
• Fundamental rights – Freedom of expression, privacy, equality and minority protection are threatened; discrimination and hate speech are rising.
• Corruption – Public officials sometimes use power for personal gain; anti‑corruption bodies are weak or politicised.
• Media freedom – Journalists face lawsuits, intimidation and spyware; public‑service media are under political pressure.
• Civil society – NGOs, human‑rights defenders and civil‑society groups are increasingly restricted, fined or blocked from funding.
• EU budget – Some EU funds have been used in ways that violate fundamental rights or are linked to corruption.
• Enlargement – New EU members must meet the same high standards of democracy and rule of law.
• External action – The EU must support rule‑of‑law principles abroad and protect the integrity of international courts such as the ICC.

What the EP wants the Commission to do

• Rule‑of‑law monitoring – Use clear, measurable benchmarks; publish a “rule‑of‑law scoreboard”; set deadlines and targets.
• Budgetary conditionality – Apply the Rule‑of‑Law Conditionality Regulation consistently and early; link EU funds to rule‑of‑law commitments; keep a public list of compliant and non‑compliant countries.
• Judicial independence – Ensure courts are appointed and promoted by independent bodies; protect judges and prosecutors from political pressure and SLAPP lawsuits.
• Anti‑corruption – Strengthen the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the European Anti‑Fraud Office; require independent anti‑corruption agencies and public corruption data.
• Media & privacy – Enforce the Digital Services Act and the European Media Freedom Act; stop spyware use against journalists and civil‑society actors.
• Civil society & minorities – Protect NGOs, human‑rights defenders and minority groups from harassment and funding restrictions; ensure EU programmes are accessible to all, including minorities.
• Enlargement & external action – Keep high standards for candidate and potential‑candidate countries; tie EU assistance to reforms in democracy, rule of law and anti‑corruption.
• Reporting improvements – Publish the rule‑of‑law report every June; use data from the European Court of Auditors, the Fundamental Rights Agency and other bodies; involve the Parliament’s Democracy, Rule‑of‑Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group more closely.

Key recommendations for specific countries

• Hungary – Use the Conditionality Regulation against Hungary for its ongoing breaches (judiciary, media, anti‑corruption).
• Poland – Continue monitoring Poland’s reforms and apply budgetary measures if the country fails to meet the rule‑of‑law standards.
• Other member states – All states must address any back‑sliding, especially in judicial independence, media freedom and anti‑corruption.

How the EP wants EU institutions to act

• Commission – Follow the report’s recommendations; use all available tools (budgetary, legal, political) to enforce rule of law.
• Council – Make Article 7 (the “rule‑of‑law” procedure) more transparent and decisive; publish detailed minutes of Article 7 hearings.
• European Court of Justice (CJEU) – Ensure its judgments on rule‑of‑law matters are implemented promptly.
• European Parliament – Keep a clear, annual cycle of monitoring, reporting and follow‑up; use the DRFMG to gather evidence and push for action.

Bottom line

• The EU must keep its core values—democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights—under strict scrutiny.
• The Commission must use budgetary powers, legal tools and political influence to make sure EU money goes only to states that respect these values.
• The EU must protect journalists, civil‑society groups, minorities and the judiciary from political interference and corruption.
• The EU must maintain the same high standards for new members and for its external partners.
• In short, the EP wants the EU to act decisively, transparently and consistently to protect the rule of law and the rights of all people in the Union.

Broader context

The resolution you read is part of a larger effort by the EU to protect its core values: democracy, rule of law, and fundamental rights. Since 2020, the European Commission has published an annual Rule‑of‑Law report that checks how well each EU country respects these values, especially in areas such as courts, corruption, media freedom, and civil‑society rights. commission.europa

Over time, the EU has also created new tools to back up these checks. The Rule‑of‑Law Conditionality Regulation (from 2020) allows the Commission to delay or stop EU payments if serious rule‑of‑law problems are linked to the use of EU money. This fits together with existing legal tools such as infringement cases at the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) and the Article 7 procedure, which can be used when a country seriously and persistently breaks EU values. europarl.europa

The 2025 Rule‑of‑Law report and the 2026 parliamentary resolution appear in a context where democratic backsliding and corruption worries are still present in some member states, while citizens across the bloc say that respecting the rule of law in all EU countries is very important. The European Parliament is now stressing that the Commission should use its tools more consistently and earlier, and that the EU should keep high standards for candidate countries during enlargement. europarl.europa

Impact on people living in the EU

For people living inside the EU, this resolution means that the EU wants to protect their everyday rights and freedoms more actively. Stronger judicial independence suggests better chances that courts will treat people fairly, without political pressure. Clearer anti‑corruption rules mean public officials are more likely to be held accountable, which can improve public trust in government and services. institutdelors

If the Rule‑of‑Law Conditionality Regulation is applied more consistently, EU funds that support regional projects, jobs, or infrastructure may be linked to reforms that protect rights, fight corruption, and strengthen independent courts. This can affect where and how money is spent in your country, and may encourage national governments to pass laws that better protect minorities, journalists, and civil‑society groups. europarl.europa

For citizens, the promised annual monitoring and a clearer “rule‑of‑law scoreboard” should make it easier to see how their country compares on justice, corruption, media freedom, and civic space. This can help voters and activists put more pressure on governments to respect the rule of law and to follow court decisions that protect individual rights. europarl.europa

Broader international impact

Because the resolution stresses that the EU must support rule‑of‑law principles abroad and protect international courts such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), it signals that the EU will try to use its diplomatic weight and funding to promote fair trials and accountability even outside the bloc. This can matter for people in countries receiving EU aid or in conflict‑affected regions, where stronger rule‑of‑law practices can improve access to justice and reduce impunity for serious crimes. europeanmovement