Same Old, Same Old - Nothing New for the Council’s Annual Rule of Law Dialogue

Abstract

Following the General Affairs Council on 12 December 2023, the Spanish presidency issued its conclusions on the evaluation of the Annual Rule of Law Dialogue (ARoLD). The overly positive assessment that transpires from the conclusion fails to convince, due to the continued reliance on confidentiality and the lack of any tangible standards. Moreover, the improvements suggested by the Presidency fall overwhelmingly short of addressing the issues that plague this instrument, confirming it as a weak exercise in posturing with no real stakes involved.

Keywords

• Council Presidency
• Council of Europe
• EU rule of law framework
• Political Rule of Law Enforcement
• University College Dublin | Dublin
• University College Dublin | Dublin