European Commission repeats call for stronger integrity rules in Belgium
The European Commission has again urged Belgium to tighten its lobbying and "revolving door" politics rules. The latest annual Rule of Law report states that, despite repeated calls for reform, measures such as binding cooling-off periods for ministers and senior officials have yet to be implemented.
The report also highlights ongoing concerns regarding staff shortages and the length of legal procedures in Belgium. While some progress has been made, judicial spending and the number of judges per 100,000 inhabitants both remain below the EU average.
The Commission has called on Belgium to ensure full compliance with final rulings from national and European courts.
Slow progress
Belgium is not alone in its slow progress. Across the EU, only 18 per cent of recommendations from last year have been fully implemented or made significant progress, down from 25 per cent two years ago. Little or no progress has been made on 43 per cent of recommendations.
Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath acknowledged the slow progress but cautioned against drawing conclusions from a single year. He noted that many countries were now facing deeper structural reforms, which take time.
Now in its sixth edition, the Rule of Law Report aims to strengthen democracy in the EU by monitoring key pillars such as judicial independence, anti-corruption measures and media pluralism. While most countries remain in dialogue, Hungary continues to fall short across the board, and 18 billion euros in EU funds remain frozen due to concerns about the rule of law.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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