JURI

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Legal Affairs

Submitted by: Frederique Bots (NL), Tilek Buber (NL), Sara Fonti (IT), Felix Jacobs (NL), Mare Tressel (NL) and Izzy van Bemmel (Chairperson, NL)

Keeping democracy alive: Following the current increase in populist and far-right governments, exemplified by the recent elections in Italy, what legal stance should the EU take on protecting the rule of law for all European citizens?

The European Youth Parliament,

  1. Acknowledging the strides already made by the European Commission in limiting the Polish and Hungarian governments through the withholding of the cohesion fund,
  2. Gravely concerned by the loss of trust of citizens in the EU,
  3. Fully alarmed by the rise of nativist1 and far-right narratives which are in direct conflict with values stated in the binding Treaty of European Unity (TEU), by:
    1. being unwilling to tackle issues on areas concerning the refugee and economic crises unilaterally,
    2. disregarding frameworks to protect the rule of law,
    3. disregarding the rights of ethnic and religious minorities and the LGBTQIA+ community,
  4. Noting with anxiety the growing influence of both intentional and unintentional misinformation about political processes,
  5. Emphasising the legal roadblocks hindering any action according to the rule of law mechanism, posed by legislation requiring for a unanimous vote to take action according to Art. 7 of the TEU;
  1. Asks the European Council to accept a proposed amendment changing the requirements to invoke art. 7 of the TEU, detailing the procedure of suspension of voting rights, from unanimity to an established majority2 of at least three quarters of the Council;
  2. Urges the European Council to take more action against violations of core EU values according to the Rule of Law Framework;
  3. Calls upon the European Commission to allocate more funding to the European Investment Bank to protect economic and social stability of economically vulnerable citizens in sanctioned Member States through: 
    1. providing loans to small businesses,
    2. ensuring social security for affected citizens;
  4. Further calls upon the European Commission to provide funding and tools for factcheck initiatives;
  5. Invites the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to create protective and financial frameworks for independent and investigative journalism;
  6. Requests the European Commission to enable non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which increase awareness of online misinformation through education by:
    1. creating an advisory cooperative framework for the NGOs,
    2. providing additional funding to the NGOs.
  1.  Nativism is the increased interest in protection and aiding of a country’s own citizens, conflicting with international action.
  2.  According to art. 354 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.