Rule of law in the EU: an array of concerns in Parliament’s annual assessment

The report adopted on Wednesday by 405 votes for, 210 against, and with 36 abstentions, delivers MEPs’ yearly review of the Commission’s latest rule of law report, and points to worrying developments. Justice, equality, accountability, and transparency Parliament underlines the need for independent, effective judicial systems with highly qualified personnel, and stresses the importance of assessing ongoing reforms in member states, while also condemning interference in corruption investigations and the misuse of judicial systems for political ends. It reiterates its call for stronger enforcement of EU values and decisions of the Court of Justice of the EU, warning that the legitimacy of the EU legal order is at stake. The report underscores the deterioration of protection for minorities and vulnerable groups, with a strong focus on LGBTIQ+ people. It deplores the intention of the Commission to withdraw the draft horizontal equal treatment directive and calls for hate crimes and hate speech to be criminalised at EU level. MEPs condemn attacks on press freedom, the use of spyware against journalists and civil society, and the spread of disinformation undermining democratic processes, calling for full implementation of recent EU legislation such as the Digital Services Act and the Media Freedom Act. Better tools for persistent, systemic, and new challenges Parliament highlights worrying developments in relation to the right of assembly and a rapidly shrinking civic space,...