Justice & Home Affairs
The Brief, powered by FACEBOOK – Hold your horses
A crowd running from water cannons. An accredited journalist refused entry. The roar of police helicopters above a horde of shielded officers. Riderless horses roaming the streets. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was a scene from an uprising. But...
‘Innovative ways’ of evading responsibilities for refugees
A regrettable result of the EU-Turkey Statement from 2016 is that the model continues to serve to EU member states seeking innovative ways to evade responsibility for refugees, writes Charlotte Slente.
The Brief, powered by amfori – EU’s ‘toolbox fetishism’
Next to the rule of law dilemma, growing assaults on media freedom are posing another test for the EU’s resolve and unity. The question is whether yet another ‘toolbox’ can solve the problem. Do you remember the then European Commissioner...
Don’t forget the 95% – why Europe needs to seize opportunities of labour migration
Migrant workers play a crucial role in the functioning of our society. It is time the EU shifted its narrative and policy approach from border management and control to investing in regular channels for migration, writes Damian Boeselager.
The slow death of Schengen
The continuing spread of the Coronavirus in Europe has led to a situation where there is no longer any point to talk about the free movement of people in the Schengen area. In essence, it has collapsed, writes Urmas Paet....
The Brief, powered by VDMA – Wanted: A Guardian of Democracy
Last Friday, and without much media coverage, the Guardian of the Treaties dealt the latest blow to European citizens' shot at direct democracy by rejecting a petition proposing a protection package for national minorities that had garnered 1.1 million signatures across the EU.
What we might learn from the Trump administration’s downfall
The siege of the Capitol was one of the darkest moments, but not the last hour of modern democracy, writes Anna Donáth.
The EU and the rule of law paradox
What has emerged in the last few years in the EU is a political rule of law. This rule of law-political is an instrument of political pressure that should not be confused with the real thing, writes György Schöpflin.
The Brief – Europe’s terror redux
Five years have passed since the devastating terrorist attacks in Paris killed 130 people, but many attacks have followed since then, including those in Nice and Vienna in the past month. Even in the midst of a pandemic, Europe, it...
The demise of Golden Dawn: A victory for democracy and the rule of law
Since the high point of the 2014 European Parliament, the far-right Golden Dawn has collapsed. Its demise is a victory for democracy and rule of law, writes professor Aristides Hatzis.
EU governments’ upcoming rule of law peer review: better get off on the right foot
After years of tiptoeing around the issue, EU governments are finally set to check on each other's records on the rule of law. This is a significant step forward, but governments have to take this broad dialogue seriously and talks must lead to action, argues Linda Ravo, an expert adviser at the Civil Liberties Union for Europe.
The Brief, powered by Martens Centre – A classic of its kind
As compromises go, the deal brokered between MEPs on linking the disbursement of EU funds to the rule of law back is a classic of the kind that Brussels specializes in.
The Brief, powered by Martens Centre – Killing them softly
Since 2015, 335 journalists have been killed across the globe, nine of them in Europe, and this figure does not include citizens journalists, and media assistants. In nine out of ten cases, the killers go unpunished. A further 247 journalists are currently behind bars.
An open society should be defined by open debate, not smears
ADF is a faith-based legal advocacy organization that protects fundamental freedoms and promotes the inherent dignity of all people. We receive funds from private donors who believe in our vision but there is nothing 'dark' about our money, writes Lois McClatchie.
A warning to the guardians
The European Commission, as the guardian of the Treaties, is responsible for ensuring that member states duly implement EU law. If a country fails to comply, the Commission may launch a lengthy infringement procedure. András Kristóf Kádár takes a look at how this has been applied to Hungary.
A new view on Rule of Law and Democracy can bridge EU’s East-West divide
Taking a comprehensive approach to democracy that encompasses all aspects of democracy, rule of law and human rights would bridge the growing east-west divide, argues Sam van der Staak.
Rule of law warriors are not promoting European values, they’re pushing a political agenda
The idea of a rule of law mechanism in the EU is hopelessly half-baked. Rule of law warriors are unable to define or measure what they mean, they are simply waging an ideological battle, argues Zoltán Kovács.
The Brief, powered by ECPC – When words become deeds
Europe has to break the social networks' hatred-based economic model, it has to implement efficient regulations that can dry up the revenue flows generated by the dissemination of hatred on the Internet. The savage assassination of Samuel Paty, who died for exercising his profession as a teacher, shows the extreme urgency of taking effective action. It shows words can become deeds.
The nature of power in an illiberal system
Viktor Orbán’s illiberal state uses democracy and the rule of law as decors of a system which contains no real limitation to the exercise of power. In order to assess the situation of the rule of law in such systems, we must examine the effective functioning of institutions in place, writes Anna Donáth.
The Brief, powered by logos – Have ID, can’t travel
“My policy is to be able to take a ticket at Victoria station and go anywhere I damn well please!” So said Britain’s post-war Foreign Secretary Ernie Bevin in 1951. Bevin, though not a Europhile, might well have been talking about freedom of movement across Europe, a cherished freedom currently on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Brief, powered by CEN-CENELEC – The triumph of the jargon
Last night the European Parliament delegation walked out of talks on the EU budget. Although the main dispute is over MEPs’ demands for extra cash for some projects, lawmakers and some EU governments also insist that there must be a strong link between the rule of law and the disbursement of EU funds.
Unbalanced politics leads to unchecked power
Europeans are doing well not to look down upon the democratic backsliding in the US too much. The mix is different, but all the elements are here as well. Here too, the interplay between governments and courts is all skewed, writes Sophie in 't Veld.
Brace for a landmark debate – not only for Bulgaria, but for the EU
On Monday (5 October), the European Parliament will discuss in plenary the Rule of Law in Bulgaria. It may look like an event important mostly for the Bulgarians, but in fact it has a lot of incidence on the EU, writes Radan Kanev