The rule of law and human rights are fundamentally interlinked. As the United Nations Secretary-General noted in his New Vision for the Rule of Law, “human rights and the rule of law are mutually reinforcing – the advancement of the rule of law is essential for the protection of all human rights, and human rights are central to the rule of law.”

The UN Human Rights Office works to mainstream international human rights standards in the EU and to raise the contributions of rights-holders through the UN international human rights mechanisms at EU level. As part of this effort, the UN Human Rights Office contributed to the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report 2024 by submitting contributions during the targeted stakeholder consultation.

The submission consists of a compilation of findings and recommendations contained in reports of United Nations international human rights mechanisms including human rights treaty bodies, special procedures and the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council. It also includes statements and reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and his Office. The submission is country-specific and encompasses all 27 Member States of the European Union during the reporting period of 2023.

The submission includes both positive developments and challenges to promoting and upholding the rule of law, as well as recommendations issued by the United Nations international human rights mechanisms on how to address those challenges.

In light of the methodology proposed by the European Commission, the submission is organized in accordance with the four pillars of the Rule of Law Report: national justice systems, anti-corruption frameworks, media pluralism and freedom and other institutional issues related to the checks and balances essential to an effective system of democratic governance.