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DRAFT REPORT (2024/2078(INI))

The Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law report

LIBE-PR-767867

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs · Rapporteur: Ana Catarina Mendes

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Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

This draft report responds to the Commission's 2024 Rule of Law report, covering justice, corruption, media freedom, civil society, equality, and the single market. It calls for stronger enforcement of rule of law values, including through conditionality and infringement procedures. It demands action on judicial independence, anti-corruption, media pluralism, protection of civil society, and non-discrimination. It also urges the Commission to expand the report's scope to cover EU institutions and to use clearer language in assessments.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes a resolution that welcomes the Commission's report but calls for stronger action on rule of law issues, including clearer assessments, broader scope, and tougher enforcement.

Key points

  1. Calls for transparent, merit-based judicial appointments and prompt implementation of pending judgments, with infringement procedures if needed.
  2. Welcomes the revised Victims' Rights Directive and calls for swift conclusion of EU accession to GRECO, with the rule of law report covering EU institutions.
  3. Demands stronger anti-corruption frameworks, whistle-blower protection, and transparency in public institutions, regretting lack of progress on high-level corruption.
  4. Calls for swift implementation of the European Media Freedom Act and anti-SLAPP measures, and for protecting media freedom, pluralism, and journalists.
  5. Expresses concern over restrictions on civil society and human rights defenders, calling for an enabling framework and expanded funding.
  6. Calls for extending EU legal basis to combat hate crime and speech, and for protecting women, including adding gender-based violence as an EU crime.
  7. Urges action against discrimination and crimes targeting minorities, and calls for a new pillar in the report on fighting all forms of discrimination.
  8. Highlights the rule of law's importance for the single market and calls for linking preventive and reactive tools, including Article 7 TEU and conditionality.
  9. Calls for smart conditionality to bypass national governments and fund municipalities and NGOs directly, and for a comprehensive conditionality mechanism.
  10. Calls for transparent lawmaking, independent oversight bodies, and monitoring foreign interference, including social media manipulation by individuals like Elon Musk.
  11. Recommends clearer language in the report, measurable benchmarks, a permanent monitoring group, and inclusion of EU institutions in the evaluation.
  12. Deplores release of EU funds to Hungary despite rule of law deficiencies and recommends suspending disbursements until benchmarks are met.

Who is affected

  • Member states: must implement judicial reforms, anti-corruption measures, and protect media freedom and civil society.
  • Civil society organisations and human rights defenders: benefit from calls for enabling framework and funding.
  • Journalists: protection through anti-SLAPP measures and media freedom initiatives.
  • Minority groups: calls for action against discrimination and crimes targeting them.
  • EU institutions: to be covered in the annual rule of law report and subject to monitoring.

Figures and deadlines

  • 2024 Rule of Law report
  • Article 7 TEU

Legal basis: Articles 2, 3(1), 3(3), 4(3), 5, 6, 7, 11, 19 and 49 TEU