Rule of law in the EU: 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall

"The 30th anniversary of the Berlin Wall marked a natural moment of stock taking and assessing how the world has evolved since then. The European Union, as much as any institution, could benefit from such introspection. This collection does just that; looking at the key changes in the last 30 years and assessing the Union's success or otherwise at responding to them. Addressing questions such as accession, the enlarged Union, enforcement and uncertainty in the European project, a team of experts gives its reasoned verdict."--

Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- INTRODUCTION -- 1. Rule of Law in the EU 30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead -- PART ONE: THE RULE OF LAW IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS AND POLITICAL REALITY -- 2. Rule of Law Problems as Problems of Democracy -- 3. Illiberal Constitutionalism in East-Central Europe -- 4. Why the Rule of Law Can Never be Part of an 'Illiberal' Democracy -- PART TWO: THE RULE OF LAW IN CEE: COMMUNIST LEGACIES AND THE ROAD TO EU ACCESSION -- 5. Legacies of Socialist Constitutionalism: The Eastern European Judiciary -- 6. Legal Reasoning in Central and Eastern Europe from a Historical Perspective -- 7. The Council of Europe as an Antechamber to the European Union -- 8. The Role of the Venice Commission in Strengthening the Rule of Law -- 9. The Eastward Enlargement as a Driving Force and Testbed for Rule of Law Policy in the EU -- PART THREE: THE RULE OF LAW IN AN ENLARGED EUROPE -- 10. The Rule of Law in Italy under the Power of Populism, and its Impact on the Future of the EU: What the Pandemic Crisis Can Teach Us: Some Reflections on Populism, Europe, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights During the Time of Quarantine in Italy -- 11. The European Rule of Law Standard, the Nordic States, and EU Law -- PART FOUR: ENFORCING THE RULE OF LAW IN THE EU: CURRENT MECHANISMS AND PROSPECTS -- 12. The Rise of Procedural Rule of Law in the European Union - Historical and Normative Foundations -- 13. The European Commission and the EU Rule of Law Policy -- 14. Respect for the Rule of Law: Some Thoughts on the European Parliament's Perspective -- 15. Can We Expect Compliance with the Rule of Law without the Rule of Law? -- Index.