Protecting the rule of law in the EU

Wednesday 21 July 2021

Over the past decade, the legal and judicial systems of some EU member states have frequently been at odds with the EU’s requirements of independence, impartiality and adherence to the rule of law.

Political appointments of judges and often spurious proceedings against them are among the issues causing tension, and Covid-19 has caused further aggravation.

Despite employing various measures to effect change, the situation has not improved. So what can be done?

In this podcast, our speakers consider the importance of an independent judiciary, the pandemic’s effect on the rule of law, the situation concerning Hungary and Poland, and the efficacy or otherwise of the mechanisms potentially available to the EU to combat rule of law breaches.

With:

  • Jose Igreja Matos, President, European Association of Judges
  • Sophie Int’Veld, Member of the European Parliament, Democrats 66 Party
  • Laurent Pech, Professor of European Law at Middlesex University, England