Rule of Law
The rule of law is one of the founding values of the EU enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on EU.
The CCBE monitors actively the defence of the rule of law, the protection of the fundamental and human rights and freedoms, including the right of access to justice and protection of the client, and the protection of the democratic values inextricably associated with such rights.
CCBE Contribution to the Rule of Law Report 2025
In its contribution to the 2025 Rule of Law Report, the CCBE lists its actions, activities and policy documents relevant to different rule of law related aspects. This submission is accompanied by input received from the national Bars and Law Societies of 27 EU Member States and 4 EU candidate countries covered by the 2024 Rule of Law Report (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia), listing different rule of law developments at national level, with a particular focus on those posing a risk and potentially undermining the independence of lawyers and Bars and access to justice.
Many national Bars have provided information on developments and indicated some trends which pose a risk to the independence of the legal profession and functioning of the justice system in a particular country. They have also provided some positive examples and best practices relevant to this assessment.
Specific cases, concrete examples, and trends are listed and explained in detail in the national Bar reports in the Annex 1 and Annex 2 to this contribution. In the conclusion part of the document, only some examples and developments in the justice systems of concrete countries are briefly mentioned.
For example, members of the CCBE reported about the concerns and trends posing a risk to the independence of the legal profession and functioning of the justice system in the following areas:
- confidentiality of lawyer-client communications;
- physical, online or legal threats or harassment of lawyers;
- legal provisions and policies which could negatively influence the independence of the Bar and lawyers;
- cooperation between the national Bar and the executive branch of the government and
- the supervisory authorities;
- implementation of the case law of national, European, and international courts;
- perception of the judicial system by the general public;
- legal aid;
- digitalisation of justice;
- other relevant national developments in various areas.
CCBE Rule of Law Network of contact points
A network of CCBE contact points on rule of law related issues was created in 2023. This network is responsible for monitoring and reporting to the CCBE the relevant national rule of law related issues during the year, as well as facilitating and strengthening the contribution from national Bars and Law Societies to the draft CCBE input to the Rule of Law Report of the European Commission.