The European Commission has just rendered itself irrelevant in upholding and
safeguarding the rule of law in the EU by declining1
the invitation extended last October
by the European Parliament in its report2
to establish a new EU mechanism on rule of
law, fundamental rights and democracy. This paper argues that this decision constitutes the
final act of what can be called a “rule of law” play, which has been performed mainly by the
Commission and is composed of three main and a final 4th act. But let us first rewind to the
beginning of the story to review first principle
