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.
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.
The European Commission said on Wednesday (30 January) that the Union-wide assessment of the rule of law will complete its toolbox with a "preventive" mechanism to guard against backsliding in countries across the bloc.
Poland's ruling nationalists signed a new coalition agreement on Saturday (26 September), ending weeks of in-fighting in the three-party alliance over how it will govern over the next three years.
More than half of EU countries failed to safeguard people’s right to peaceful assembly during the pandemic, peaceful protests were violently disrupted by police, and tight restrictions on fundamental rights remained in place even after social distancing measures were scaled back for businesses, a new report by civil rights watchdogs found.
At the next European summit, Austria wants to speak openly about sanctions against Ankara, including the possibility to break off accession talks with Turkey, the country's EU Minister Karoline Edtstadler told EURACTIV Germany.
Poland's ruling right-wing coalition looked to be hanging by a thread on Monday (21 September), as a government spokesman said he could imagine the largest party in the grouping, Law and Justice (PiS), governing without one of its current partners.
The major European political groups tolerate corruption and malfeasance among the member parties, says Green MEP Daniel Freund, who also analyses the weaknesses of instruments to fight the misuse of EU funds.
Poland's conservative nationalist government cranked up its campaign against Europe's accord on violence against women, calling it a tool for the EU to foist "leftist ideology" on unwilling member states.
The Hungarian Parliament passed legislation on Tuesday (16 June) that rescinds the controversial powers granted to Viktor Orbán's government at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and approved "transitional arrangements" to phase it out.
Bulgaria has the lowest standards of press freedom in Europe and is ranked 111th globally in terms of press freedom for a third consecutive year in the Reporters Without Borders annual edition of the World Press Freedom index, which called the country "the black sheep of the EU".
A conference in Sofia debated the European Commission's proposal for an EU-wide rule of law mechanism on Friday (6 March) and one European lawmaker said there is already a clear majority in the European Parliament to set up a new control mechanism for the rule of law.
The EU should "stop subsidizing undermining democracy within the EU," Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch told EURACTIV in an interview, arguing that the negotiations over the next 7-year budget will not just be about money but about fundamental rights.
A long-running controversy in Poland over the government's judicial reforms intensified Wednesday (29 January) when its two top bodies -- the Constitutional and Supreme courts -- clashed over the appointment of judges.
Poland accused the European Union on Saturday (25 January) of double standards for questioning the country's Constitutional Tribunal, intensifying a spat between Warsaw and Brussels ahead of a visit by the bloc's top rule of law official.
Poland's parliament on Thursday (23 January) approved a controversial draft law aimed at disciplining judges who question government judicial reforms that the European Union says are out of step with the rule of law.
Hungary's top defence lawyer accused Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday (21 January) of undermining the rule of law through his refusal to accept two court decisions that require payouts of state funds.
The Visegrad countries will need some time to close the ditches they have dug in recent years, Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček told EURACTIV.cz in an interview. He also voiced doubts about the need for a reform of EU membership negotiations, demanded by France, saying the process is already reversible at any stage.
The EU must set out concrete demands and deadlines for Poland and Hungary over their rule of law and judicial independence situation, lawmakers in the European Parliament demanded in a Strasbourg debate on Article 7 on Wednesday (15 January). In...
Human rights watchdogs hailed on Tuesday (14 January) an opinion from the advocate general of the EU's top court which said restrictions imposed by Hungary on the financing of civil organisations from abroad breach EU law.
Hundreds of Polish judges dressed in formal black robes marched in Warsaw on Saturday (11 January) to protest a draft law aimed at punishing justices who question the government's controversial court reforms.
Thousands of people took to the streets across Poland Wednesday (18 December) to protest government proposals aimed at punishing judges critical of controversial judicial reforms.
The European Commission said on Monday (16 December) it would closely examine whether a new Polish draft law undermines the independence of the judiciary, amid tensions between Brussels and Warsaw over democratic standards.
The General Affairs Council held a thematic hearing on Tuesday (10 December) on the ongoing Article 7 procedure against Hungary, tackling the alleged breaches of judicial independence, academic freedom and freedom of expression, particularly media freedom.
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