European Parliament calls for a European pact for democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights - Main contents
The European Parliament has today given broad support to the In 't Veld legislative initiative report, calling on the Commission to submit a proposal for an objective and non-politicised mechanism to protect democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights (DRF) in the European Union.
The DRF Pact, as proposed by the rapporteur Sophie in ‘t Veld, would help to prevent and correct breaches of EU values in all Member States and the EU Institutions. The new tool would also foster the credibility of the EU and help reinforce mutual trust and stability in the Union.
Sophie in ‘t Veld, ALDE Group first vice-president and European Parliament rapporteur, said: "We Europeans have been leading the fight for democracy, rule of law, fundamental rights for very long time. We have a heritage we can be proud of. However, we need to strengthen their protection in the EU as a whole. The EU is more than a sum of Member States. It is a community of principles and values". There is a growing need for a mechanism to uphold democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights. Current mechanisms such as the European Commission Rule of law framework are important, but recent cases in different Member States have shown its weaknesses. It is vulnerable to criticism of being politically motivated".
"The Principles of the DRF Pact are clear: all Member States and EU institutions should be treated equally and assessed on the same basis. The mechanism should be objective, evidence- based, and permanent instead of incident driven. It shall be built upon existing instruments. Many citizens are calling for sanctions to punish all those breaching our principles and values. While sanctions are an essential part of the enforcement toolkit, this Pact will allow us to create a culture of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. It will allow EU citizens to define common standards and engage in an ongoing process of sharing our shared values".