The European Commission published its seventh annual Rule of Law Report on 17 July 2026, presenting an assessment of the rule of law across all 27 EU Member States and four candidate countries: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
What the Commission announced
The report is the Commission’s seventh yearly assessment of rule of law developments. It covers the situation in each EU Member State and extends the analysis to the listed candidate countries. The publication continues the Commission’s series of structured, annual evaluations intended to monitor developments in areas related to democracy, judicial independence, anti-corruption, media pluralism and other aspects of fundamental rights.
Why it matters
Regular, comparable assessments of rule of law conditions are intended to inform EU institutions, national governments and the public about trends and risks that can affect democratic governance and fundamental rights across the Union. By including candidate countries, the report also links rule of law scrutiny to the EU enlargement process. The report therefore functions as both a monitoring tool and a point of reference for policymakers, stakeholders and citizens concerned with institutional checks and balances and the protection of rights.
What happens next
The publication of the annual report follows the Commission’s established cycle of monitoring and reporting. The document can be used as a basis for further discussion and action by EU institutions and Member States, and it may inform dialogues with the candidate countries named in the report. The Commission will continue issuing these annual assessments in line with its published schedule.
Source: European Commission press release
