On Monday 18 March 2019, the Committees on Foreign Affairs (AFET), and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) will hold a public hearing on the rule of law in the accession process.
The hearing will examine the progress and persisting flaws in fulfilling the fundamental criteria of the EU acquis (Chapters 23 and 24) by EU aspirants, in line with Article 2 TEU, covering the shared values of democracy, rule of law and respect for fundamental rights. When acceding to the European Union, candidate countries have to fulfil the so-called Copenhagen criteria. Practice has shown that these criteria represent a considerable challenge and that their monitoring after accession can be difficult. Speakers include Mr Gianni Buquicchio, President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, as well as representatives of the European Commission, the International Monitoring Operation in Albania, academia and think tanks.
- Joint AFET LIBE Public Hearing - Draft Programme (PDF - 47 KB)
- EU enlargement: MEPs legislate on tougher requirements for pre-accession funding
- Western Balkans: European Parliament takes stock of 2018 progress
- European Parliament marks EU accession prospects for Serbia and Kosovo
- European Parliament resolution of 16 January 2019 on the situation of fundamental rights in the European Union in 2017
- European Parliament resolution of 14 November 2018 on the need for a comprehensive EU mechanism for the protection of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights
- European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2016 with recommendations to the Commission on the establishment of an EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights
- Live Webstream