Listen: Liberties 2025 report finds limited progress on EU rule of law

Liberties, a network of civil liberties organisations across the EU, has released its 2025 Gap Analysis, reviewing the Commission’s Rule of Law cycle. The report examined over 500 recommendations issued to Member States since 2022, case studies on Italy and Slovakia, and a dedicated review of media freedom.

The findings point to a system that is stalling. So, if this is the case how do we protect democracy in Europe now?

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Liberties, a network of civil liberties organisations across the EU, has released its 2025 Gap Analysis, reviewing the Commission’s Rule of Law cycle. The report examined over 500 recommendations issued to member states since 2022, case studies on Italy and Slovakia, and a dedicated review of media freedom.

The findings point to a system that is stalling. So, if this is the case how do we protect democracy in Europe now?

In the 2025 cycle, 93 percent of all recommendations made by the EU were repeats from previous years, many copied word-for-word. Only nine new recommendations were issued this year, and 71% of all recommendations now date back to 2022. The number of new recommendations has been cut in half compared to 2024.

Implementation has also declined. In 2023, 11 percent of recommendations were fully implemented. That has now fallen to just six percent in both 2024 and 2025. Overall, 61% of recommendations show little or no progress since they were first issued.

Countries with persistent non-implementation include Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Hungary remains the most pronounced case of ongoing non-compliance.

Liberties also identifies omissions in the commission’s country chapters, including cases where attacks on the judiciary, restrictions on civil society and pressure on media were not reflected. In some instances, recommendations disappeared entirely from the commission’s tracking without clear explanation. According to the analysis, this raises concerns about consistency, transparency and follow-up at EU level.

Now, the Rule of Law Report is meant to act as Europe’s early-warning system for democratic backsliding. It is supposed to detect problems early and prevent deeper erosion of democratic institutions.

But if recommendations are repeatedly recycled, if they lack deadlines or clear benchmarks, and if Member States can ignore them without consequences, the tool risks becoming symbolic rather than preventive.

This comes at a time when democratic checks and balances are under pressure in several Member States. Judicial independence, media pluralism and civic space are areas where experts have documented growing challenges in parts of the EU. If monitoring becomes predictable and unenforced, governments can test boundaries with little fear of repercussions and once democratic institutions weaken, reversing the damage becomes harder.

The credibility of the EU’s oversight is also at stake. When the Union firmly defends rule-of-law standards abroad but struggles to enforce them internally, it raises questions about consistency and capacity.

What’s next?

The European Commission has signalled plans to tighten the Rule of Law cycle. One key proposal is to link rule-of-law compliance to EU funds under the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework, running from 2028 to 2034.

Liberties argues that meaningful reform must come sooner. The organisation recommends establishing clear assessment criteria, issuing specific and time-bound recommendations, consistently monitoring follow-up, and applying enforcement mechanisms, including budget conditionality and infringement procedures, when governments fail to act.

Their message is that without timely intervention, backsliding may accelerate and, in some cases, become difficult to reverse.