A proposal for an annual European Rule of Law monitoring cycle across the 27 EU Member States has been introduced to improve the protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms through coordinated institutional efforts.
The initiative, dubbed the 'European Rule of Law Semester,' was presented on Wednesday at the European Parliament by Belgian liberal Sophie Wilmès (Renew), Polish Christian Democrat Michal Wawrykiewicz (EPP), and Italian Social Democrat Alessandro Zan (S&D).
It could be implemented in 2028, aligning with the EU’s next multiannual budget.
Existing rule-of-law tools are hard to enforce
This means that when journalists are silenced, when judges are put under pressure, or when public money is misappropriated, Europe would be ready to detect it early on. It would then be able to react quickly and in a coordinated manner, even before citizens' rights have been undermined, the three elected representatives explained.
The idea of an annual rule-of-law framework, modelled after the EU’s 'European Semester' for economic and fiscal coordination, has been under discussion for years.
Currently, the EU has several tools at its disposal. Since 2020, the Commission has published annual reports on compliance with the rule of law in each Member State and can suspend EU funds when there are persistent violations, as in Hungary.
However, mechanisms such as Article 7, which could strip a Member State’s voting rights in the Council, have proven difficult to enforce.
Proposed framework would include hate crimes, elections
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently emphasised the need for a unified approach, clear benchmarks, and institutional contributions to enhance the existing tools.
According to Sophie Wilmès, the proposed Rule of Law Semester would involve an annual cycle with defined milestones.
It would begin in June with the Commission’s publication of a report assessing violations and issuing actionable recommendations with realistic deadlines.
The plan envisions additional monitoring dimensions, such as hate crimes and electoral integrity, to be integrated into the framework.
Fact-finding missions, potential sanctions, real-time actions
In February-March, the European Parliament would hold hearings and conduct fact-finding missions. This phase would involve collaboration between the Commission, Parliament, Council, and civil society to assess trends and propose actions, including potential sanctions.
The final stage in May would see the Commission activating necessary instruments where violations persist, while maintaining the flexibility to act at any time in urgent situations.
The working document unveiled by the three MEPs now begins its legislative journey, open to contributions and improvements.
