10/01/2022
Rule of law is one of the common values of EU Member States and
enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union. It is also an
essential and necessary condition for EU membership. We audited
whether EU support for the rule of law in the six Western Balkan countries
aspiring for EU accession has been effective. We found that, while EU
action has contributed to reforms in technical and operational areas, such
as improving the efficiency of the judiciary and the development of
relevant legislation, it has had little overall impact on fundamental rule of
law reforms in the region. We recommend that the Commission
strengthens the mechanism for promoting rule of law reforms; intensifies
support to civil society organisations and independent media; reinforces
the use of conditionality; and strengthens project reporting and
monitoring.
ECA special report pursuant to Article 287(4), second subparagraph, TFEU.
Special Report 01/2022: EU support for the rule of law in the Western Balkans: despite efforts, fundamental problems persist
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