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 European Union 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 and Fundamental Rights.

The EU is based on the rule of law which entails that every action taken by it is founded on treaties approved voluntarily and democratically by all EU member states. Candidate countries for EU accession must also respect the rights and obligations enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This Annual insight focuses more specifically on various aspects concerning Chapter 23, issues that member states and candidate countries face alike and possible solutions to them.