Annual insight on EU rule of law 2022

The rule of law principle is one of the core values comprising the foundations of the European Union. It entails that all public powers act within the boundaries set by the law, in accordance with the values of democracy and respect for fundamental rights. While candidate countries must comply with this principle and adapt the functioning of their institutions accordingly, member states of the EU are also not exempt from this obligation, or the consequences arising from non-compliance.  

EPI’s work is focused on the needs and constraints of North Macedonia, a country that awaited the start of the accession negotiations for more than a decade while experiencing a decline in support for EU membership and political instability in recent years. Within its rule of law programme, it closely monitors the level of compliance with the rule of law principle in member states of the EU and candidate countries, in order to learn valuable lessons and present them to relevant stakeholders and the citizens of North Macedonia, as these lessons will have to be implemented now as a candidate country and as a member state in the future. EPI also monitors events within the country in the following areas in accordance with the EU accession negotiation structure: functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform and chapter 23: judiciary, fight against corruption and fundamental rights.