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The rule of law has been under pressure in recent years. Several EU Member States have taken measures that undermine the independence of the judiciary or the protection of fundamental rights. Disciplinary procedures have, for example, been introduced in Hungary and Poland against judges, coupled with questionable appointment processes of new judges. Such rule of law backsliding has gone hand in hand with unrestricted political and media attacks against the judiciary as well as NGOs. Also in other European countries, the rule of law requires constant maintenance and attention. The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, for instance, held that the resilience of the Dutch rule of law system needs to be strengthened.
This course addresses the question how it can be ensured that the rule of law is sufficiently protected: what role do EU standards and EU institutions play in the protection of these values?