Changes between two versions
What changed between the draft committee report and the plenary report
From · draft committee report· 17 Nov 2025
on the Commission’s 2025 Rule of Law report
AI:What changed, in short
The report expands coverage to include accession countries, minorities, and social rights, and adds many new recitals on specific concerns.1234 It strengthens calls for judicial independence, anti-corruption measures, and protection of journalists and civil society.78910 It tightens links between EU funds and rule of law compliance, adding detailed conditionality and monitoring proposals.14151617 It enhances the annual rule of law cycle with new phases and interinstitutional cooperation, and expands scope to all Article 2 values.18192021 The other changes are wording updates in the explanatory statement.23242526
22 changes of substance · 0 formal · 6 of wording only
Written by AI from the two texts only · read the changes before relying on it · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
+274 added · −52 removed · 19 changed paragraphs, packaging included.
Part 1 of 8: MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
14 unchanged paragraphs
on the Commission’s 2025 Rule of Law report
(2025/2239(INI))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Articles 2, 3(1), 3(3), second subparagraph, 4(3), 5, 6, 7, 11, 19 and 49 thereof,
– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular to the articles thereof relating to respect for and the protection and promotion of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in the Union, including Articles 70, 258, 259, 260, 263, 265 and 267,
– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter),
– having regard to the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU),
– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 July 2025 entitled ‘2025 Rule of Law Report – The rule of law situation in the European Union’ (COM(2025)0900), and the annex thereto containing recommendations for the Member States,
– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget (the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation),
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (the Common Provisions Regulation),
– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (the Financial Regulation), in particular Article 6(3) thereof,
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/692 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1381/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EU) No 390/2014,
– having regard to the Commission’s package of proposals for a Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034,
– having regard to UN instruments on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, the Recommendations of the UN Forum on Minority Issues, and to the recommendations and reports of the UN Universal Periodic Review, as well as the case-law of the UN treaty bodies and the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council,
Added:– having regard to the UN Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (the Paris Principles), adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 48/134 of 20 December 1993,
Added:– having regard to the UN declaration on human rights defenders, adopted in 1998, and the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, adopted in June 2004,
– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the European Social Charter, the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the European Committee of Social Rights, and the conventions, recommendations, resolutions, opinions and reports of the Parliamentary Assembly, the Committee of Ministers, the Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion, the Venice Commission and other bodies of the Council of Europe,
– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence,
– having regard to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe,
Added:– having regard to the 34th General Report on the 2024 activities of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) of the Council of Europe,
Added:– having regard to the 25th General Activity Report (2024) of the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO),
– having regard to the memorandum of understanding between the Council of Europe and the European Union of 23 May 2007 and the Council conclusions of 17 December 2024 on EU priorities for cooperation with the Council of Europe in 2025-2026,
Removed:– having regard to the Commission proposal of 20 December 2017 for a Council decision on the determination of a clear risk of a serious breach by the Republic of Poland of the rule of law (COM(2017)0835), issued in accordance with Article 7(1) TEU,
Added:– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, which was adopted on 12 March 2025 and opened for signature on 13 May 2025,
Added:– having regard to Directive (EU) 2016/343 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on the strengthening of certain aspects of the presumption of innocence and of the right to be present at the trial in criminal proceedings.
– having regard to its 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,
Added:– having regard to the Commission proposal of 20 December 2017 for a Council decision on the determination of a clear risk of a serious breach by the Republic of Poland of the rule of law (COM(2017)0835), issued in accordance with Article 7(1) TEU,
6 unchanged paragraphs
– having regard to its resolution of 7 February 2018 on protection and non-discrimination with regard to minorities in the EU Member States,
– having regard to its resolution of 1 March 2018 on the Commission’s decision to activate Article 7(1) TEU as regards the situation in Poland,
– having regard to its resolution of 19 April 2018 on the need to establish a European Values Instrument to support civil society organisations which promote fundamental values within the European Union at local and national level,
– having regard to its resolution of 12 September 2018 on a proposal calling on the Council to determine, pursuant to Article 7(1) TEU, the existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded,
– having regard to its resolution of 13 November 2018 on minimum standards for minorities in the EU,
– having regard to its 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,
Added:– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 April 2019 entitled 'Further strengthening the Rule of Law within the Union – State of play and possible next steps' (COM(2019)163),
Added:– having regard to the Commission communication of 17 July 2019 entitled ‘Strengthening the rule of law within the Union - A blueprint for action’ (COM(2019)0343),
– having regard to its resolution of 7 October 2020 on the establishment of an EU Mechanism on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights,
Removed:– having regard to its resolution of 8 October 2020 on the rule of law and fundamental rights in Bulgaria
– having regard to its resolution of 13 November 2020 on the impact of COVID-19 measures on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights,
– having regard to its resolution of 17 December 2020 on the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Minority SafePack – one million signatures for diversity in Europe’,
Added:– having regard to its resolution of 11 March 2021 on the declaration of the EU as an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone,
– having regard to its resolution of 10 June 2021 on the rule of law situation in the European Union and the application of the Conditionality Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092,
– having regard to its resolution of 24 June 2021 on the Commission’s 2020 Rule of Law Report,
Added:– having regard to Directive (EU) XXXX of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating corruption, replacing Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA and the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of Member States of the European Union and amending Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council,
6 unchanged paragraphs
– having regard to its resolution of 8 July 2021 on the creation of guidelines for the application of the general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget,
– having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on identifying gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU,
– having regard to its resolution of 11 November 2021 entitled ‘on strengthening democracy and media freedom and pluralism in the EU: the undue use of actions under civil and criminal law to silence journalists, NGOs and civil society’,
– having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2021 on the evaluation of preventive measures for avoiding corruption, irregular spending and misuse of EU and national funds in case of emergency funds and crisis-related spending areas,
– having regard to its resolution of 8 March 2022 on the shrinking space for civil society in Europe,
– having regard to its resolution of 10 March 2022 on the rule of law and the consequences of the ECJ ruling,
Removed:– having regard to its resolution of 11 March 2021 on the declaration of the EU as an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone,
4 unchanged paragraphs
– having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2022 on the Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law Report,
– having regard to its resolution of 9 June 2022 on the rule of law and the potential approval of the Polish national recovery plan (RRF),
– having regard to its resolution of 15 September 2022 on the situation of fundamental rights in the European Union in 2020 and 2021,
– having regard to its resolution of 15 September 2022 on the proposal for a Council decision determining, pursuant to Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union, the existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded,
Removed:– having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2022 on the rule of law in Malta, five years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia,
4 unchanged paragraphs
– having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2022 on growing hate crimes against LGBTIQ+ people across Europe in light of the recent homophobic murder in Slovakia,
– having regard to its resolution of 10 November 2022 on racial justice, non-discrimination and anti-racism in the EU,
– having regard to its resolution of 24 November 2022 on the assessment of Hungary’s compliance with the rule of law conditions under the Conditionality Regulation and state of play of the Hungarian RRP,
– having regard to its resolution of 30 March 2023 on the 2022 Rule of Law Report – the rule of law situation in the European Union,