The Second Edition of the Handbook on How to Use EU Law to Protect Civic Space, by ECNL and Philea, highlights how CSOs can use EU law and participatory tools to protect civic space and uphold the rule of law. Originally published in May 2020, the user-friendly guide for CSOs, philanthropic organisations as well as lawyers offers an overview of EU law arguments and legal avenues available to defend their civic rights and freedoms in the EU.
The updated version includes:
- 40+ examples of cases incompatible with EU law, based on real experiences as well as potential scenarios. These also include cases of EU secondary law itself potentially incompatible with the EU Treaties and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
- A new chapter outlining the three key EU rule of law tools: the Rule of Law Mechanism, the Rule of Law Framework (Article 7 procedure), and the Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism – with special attention to the Rule of Law Mechanism and its Annual Reporting Cycle.
- Civil society's recommendations to the European Commission on how to continue strengthening the EU Rule of Law Mechanism as an effective and meaningful participatory tool for civil society to uphold the rule of law.
From the Foreword to the Second Edition of the Handbook:
"This second edition of the Handbook on How to Use EU Law to Protect Civic Space closes an important gap, by showcasing how EU law and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights can be used in practice to protect civic space and, importantly, by highlighting information on the EU’s rule of law mechanism. I am confident that the updated Handbook will be of great use to human rights defenders across the EU."
Michael O Flaherty, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights.
The update of this Handbook is co-funded by the European Union and Civitates. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), NEF, or the Partner Foundations. Neither the European Union, the granting authority, NEF nor the Partner Foundations can be held responsible for them.
