LIBE Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DRFMG)

In September 2019, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) decided to renew and expand the mandate of its working group on rule of law issues, which has been renamed LIBE Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DRFMG).
The Group is building on the work completed in the previous parliamentary term by its predecessor, set up in June 2018 in the aftermath of the murders of the Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and the Slovakian journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée. In view of its mandate, the Group focuses on threats to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, as well as the fight against corruption within the EU, across Member States. It is meant to recommend specific actions to the LIBE Committee, such as meetings with stakeholders, hearings and missions, as well as to make suggestions for proposals for resolutions and reports. The Group's mandate extends until end of the legislature. More information on Rule of Law related activities of the whole LIBE Committee may be found on the Rule of Law page.
- LIBE Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DFRMG) Mandate IX Legislative Term (DOCUMENT - 18 KB)
- Members of the LIBE Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DFRMG) (PDF - 137 KB)
- DRFMG Work Programme September 2023 - April 2024 (PDF - 178 KB)
- End of mandate 2019-2024 Activity Report (PDF - 1 MB)
- DRFMG Work Programme 2023 (PDF - 227 KB)
- DRFMG Exchanges of views 2019 - 2023 (first semester) (PDF - 360 KB)
- Activity report of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, 27 June 2023 (PDF - 669 KB)
- Activity report of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, 30 January 2023 (PDF - 695 KB)
- Activity report of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, 13 July 2022 (PDF - 202 KB)
- Activity report of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, 19 April 2022
- Activity report of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, 17 November 2021 (PDF - 334 KB)
- Activity report of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, 16 June 2021 (PDF - 413 KB)
- Activity report of the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group, 10 July 2020 (PDF - 428 KB)
DRFMG monitoring of the situation in Bulgaria
- Mission report following the LIBE mission to Sofia, Bulgaria on 12 and 13 October 2023 (PDF - 569 KB)
- Follow-up questions to the Bulgarian government (following the meeting of 8 December 2022) (PDF - 235 KB)
- Follow-up questions to Bulgarian authorities (PDF - 138 KB)
- Draft agenda DRFMG meeting 27 January dedicated to the situation in Bulgaria (DOCUMENT - 36 KB)
- Questions addressed in advance by DRFMG Members to Bulgarian government (DOCUMENT - 24 KB)
- Answers from the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Bulgaria, 17 January 2022 (DOCUMENT - 61 KB)
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Answers from Bulgarian authorities, 17 January 2022 BG (DOCUMENT - 97 KB) | EN (DOCUMENT - 77 KB)
- Mission report following the ad-hoc delegation to Slovakia and Bulgaria – 21-24 September 2021
- Rule of law Bulgaria : MEPs conclude their monitoring visit
- Follow-up questions by the DRFMG Members to the exchange of views of 8 January on the situation of the rule of law in Bulgaria (PDF - 244 KB)
- Follow-up questions by the DRFMG Members to the exchange of views of 28 August on latest developments in Bulgaria (PDF - 242 KB)
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Answers of the Bulgarian authorities to the DRFMG Members
- Letter from the Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Bulgaria to the DRFMG Members, 19 February 2021 (PDF - 4 MB)
- Answers from Bulgarian Authorities to questions, 15 February 2021 (DOCUMENT - 43 KB)
- Answer from the Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Bulgaria to the DRFMG Members, 21 September 2020 (PDF - 659 KB)
- Second letter from the Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Bulgaria to the DRFMG Members, 25 September 2020 (PDF - 36 KB)
- Letter from the Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Bulgaria to the DRFMG Members, 17 September 2020 (PDF - 719 KB)
- Position of the Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Bulgaria, 24 August 2020 (PDF - 97 KB)
- Answers from Bulgarian authorities to question 1-16 and 22-29 (PDF - 690 KB)
- The specialized Prosecutors’ Office instituted pre-trial proceedings for a Crime under Chapter one of the Criminal Code (PDF - 254 KB)
- National meeting of the Bulgarian Prosecutors and Investigators (PDF - 997 KB)
- Executive summary by the Structural Reform and Support Service (PDF - 614 KB)
- Statement by Prosecutor Elena Andreeva (PDF - 80 KB)
- Replies of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination on the questions from DRFMG Group (PDF - 699 KB)
- Bulgaria: statement by the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group
- Rule of law Bulgaria : MEPs conclude their monitoring visit
Relevant LIBE – EP work on the situation in Slovakia and Malta
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EP Resolutions
- EP resolution of 15 November 2017 on the rule of law in Malta
- EP resolution of 19 April 2018 on protection of investigative journalists in Europe: the case of Slovak journalist Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová
- European Parliament resolution of 28 March 2019 on the situation of the rule of law and the fight against corruption in the EU, specifically in Malta and Slovakia (2018/2965(RSP))
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EP Missions
- LIBE ad-hoc delegation to Malta - 2-4 December 2019 - mission report (PDF - 551 KB)
- LIBE mission to Malta and Slovakia - 17-20 September 2018 - mission report
- LIBE-CONT fact-finding mission to Slovakia - 7-9 March 2018 - mission report
- LIBE-PANA ad-hoc delegation to Malta on 30 November - 1 December 2017 - mission report
DRFMG monitoring of the situation in Slovakia
- Rule of Law in Slovakia : MEPs carried out a monitoring visit
- Mission Report: Delegation to Slovakia: 15-17 December 2022 (PDF - 427 KB)
- Rule of Law in Slovakia : MEPs carried out a monitoring visit
- Questions and answers by Mr Lukas Diko, Director of the Jan Kuciak Investigative Centre, DRFMG meeting on the situation in Slovakia, 22 April 2022 (DOCUMENT - 41 KB)
- Questions and answers by Ms Mária Patakyová, the outgoing Public Defender of Rights, DRFMG meeting on the situation in Slovakia, 22 April 2022 (DOCUMENT - 31 KB)
- Questions to the Slovak authorities, DRFMG meeting on the situation in Slovakia 22 April 2022 (DOCUMENT - 45 KB)
- Mission report following the ad-hoc delegation to Slovakia and Bulgaria – 21-24 September 2021 (PDF - 626 KB)
- Briefing for the DRFMG on Milan Lucansky, January 2021 (PDF - 603 KB)
- Briefing for the DRFMG on the proposed judicial reform and the new court map in Slovakia, February 2021 (PDF - 2 MB)
- Questions of DRFMG Members to Slovak authorities, 19 February 2021 (DOCUMENT - 35 KB)
- Agenda of the DRFMG meeting of 15 July 2021 (PDF - 356 KB)
- Answers of the Slovak Republic to the questions of the DRFMG (PDF - 709 KB)
- Agenda of the DRFMG meeting of 5 February 2021 (PDF - 404 KB)
- Agenda of the DRFMG meeting of 27 November 2020 (PDF - 468 KB)
- Agenda of the DRFMG meeting of 25 June 2020 (PDF - 282 KB)
- Agenda of the DRFMG meeting of 2 April 2020 (PDF - 403 KB)
- Agenda of the DRFMG meeting of 16 January 2020 (PDF - 280 KB)
- Rule of Law in Slovakia : MEPs carried out a monitoring visit
DRFMG monitoring of the situation in Malta
- Questions to the Maltese authorites (November 2023) (PDF - 208 KB)
- Questions to the Maltese authorites (meeting of 20 April 2023) (PDF - 217 KB)
- Mission report following the LIBE Delegation on the Rule of Law in Valletta, Malta from 23 to 25 May 2022 (PDF - 436 KB)
- Press release: Rule of law in Malta: EP delegation finishes on-the-ground assessment, 25 May 2022
- Study by the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs: The situation of Article 2 TEU values in Malta, May 2022 (PDF - 486 KB)
- Letter by DRFMG Chair to the Prime Minister Abela on the Public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, 29 September 2020 (PDF - 179 KB)
- Reply by Prime Minister Rober Abela to DRFMG Chair on the Public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, 5 October 2020 (PDF - 2 MB)
- Letter by DRFMG Chair to the Prime Minister Abela on the Public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, 9 December 2020 (PDF - 64 KB)
- Reply by Prime Minister Rober Abela to DRFMG Chair on the Public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, 17 December 2020 (PDF - 443 KB)
- Mission Report following the ad-hoc delegation to Malta - 2-4 December 2019 (PDF - 384 KB)
- Letter by DRFMG Chair to the Prime Minister Abela on comprehensive update on the latest state of affairs in the case of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, 25 March 2021 (PDF - 332 KB)
- Reply by Prime Minister Rober Abela to DRFMG Chair on comprehensive update on the latest state of affairs in the case of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, 01 April 2021 (PDF - 275 KB)
- Factsheet: Observing the Rule of Law and he strengthening of judicial systems in Malta (PDF - 1 MB)
DRFMG monitoring of the situation in Greece
- Mission report following the LIBE mission to Athens, Greece, 6 to 8 March 2023 (PDF - 503 KB)
- The situation of Article 2 TEU values in Greece (LIBE mission to Greece 6 - 8 March 2023) (PDF - 987 KB)
- Exchange of views on the Situation in Greece - 28 April 2022 Follow-up questions (September 2022) (PDF - 145 KB)
- In-depth analysis on The situation of Article 2 TEU values in Greece – Focus on anti-corruption measures and media freedom", Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs
- Questions addressed by DRFMG Members to Greek authorities, 21 April 2022 (PDF - 19 KB)
- Follow-up questions by DRFMG Members to Greek authorities, 28 April 2022 (PDF - 175 KB)
- Reply of 28 April 2021 from the Greek Minister of Justice to DRFMG letter of 19 April 2021 (PDF - 664 KB)
- Letter to Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Greece regarding Assassination of journalist Giorgos Karaivaz, 19 April 2021 (PDF - 167 KB)
- Follow-up questions by DRFMG Members to Greek authorities, September 2022 (PDF - 145 KB)
- Follow-up questions by DRFMG Members to Greek authorities, 23 November 2022 (PDF - 202 KB)
DRFMG monitoring of the situation in Poland
Member State under procedure of Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union, see also Rule of Law subject file.
- Answers from the Polish government (March 2024) (PDF - 643 KB)
- DRFMG questions to Polish Governement, January 2024 (PDF - 240 KB)
- DRFMG Members’ follow-up questions to the Exchange of views on the situation in Poland held on Friday, 15 April 2021 (PDF - 263 KB)
- Webstreamed meeting, 15 April
- Agenda of the Exchange of views on the situation in Poland - 15 April 2021 (PDF - 54 KB)
DRFMG monitoring of the situation in the Czech Republic
DRFMG monitoring of the situation in Spain
- Questions DRFMG to Spanish Government, January 2024 (PDF - 254 KB)
- Letter from the Spanish Minister of Justice on the functioning of the judiciary and the procedure for the appointments to the National Council of the Judiciary (EN), 28 May 2021 (DOCUMENT - 63 KB)
- Letter from the Spanish Minister of Justice on the functioning of the judiciary and the procedure for the appointments to the National Council of the Judiciary (ES), 28 May 2021 (PDF - 581 KB)
- Letter to the Minister of Justice of the Kingdom of Spain Mr Juan Carlos Campo regarding the functioning of judiciary and the procedure for the appointment s to the National Council of the Judiciary, 11 May 2021 (PDF - 199 KB)
- Questions DRFMG to Spanish Government, 8 September 2022 (PDF - 261 KB)
Horizontal topics
- Webstreaming of the meeting of 23 April 2024: Exchange of views on Anti-Muslim hatred
- Webstreaming of the meeting of 22 February 2024: Exchange of views on Fighting corruption in the EU
- Webstreaming of the meeting of 19 October 2023: Exchange of views on The use of force by the police under the Rule of Law
- Draft Agenda of the meeting of 19 October 2023: Exchange of views on The use of force by the police under the Rule of Law (PDF - 187 KB)
- Webstreaming of the meeting of 19 July 2023: Exchange of views on the independence and role of prosecutors and judges across the EU, including appointment procedures
- Webstreaming of the meeting of 9 February 2023: Exchange of views on Antisemitism in the EU
- The impact of Coronavirus measures on Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in the EU (April 2020 to March 2021)
- The impact of Coronavirus measures on Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in the EU (March 2021 to March 2022)
- The situation of Article 2 TEU values in the EU and in the Member States