The European Parliament's Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DRFMG) held a horizontal session on 29 June 2026 examining how rule-of-law developments affect internal security cooperation, revealing a divide between those prioritising operational efficiency and those insisting on robust fundamental rights safeguards.
European Commission Deputy Head of Unit Tania Schröter noted that the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) remains widely used but faces challenges from fundamental rights concerns, with the Court of Justice developing a two-step test to balance mutual recognition and rights. She said the Commission favours non-legislative measures such as updated handbooks and training over revising the EAW, and is working on detention condition reports and country fact sheets. Eurojust Head of Operations Federica Curtol stressed that mutual trust is essential for judicial cooperation, citing cases on corruption and encrypted communications (EncroChat/Sky ECC) where respect for procedural rights ensured convictions were upheld. CCBE President Roman Završek argued that security and rights are interdependent, warning that weakening safeguards makes cooperation less effective, not more. He urged embedding rights in legal design and involving lawyers structurally.
MEP Michał Wawrykiewicz (ECR) asked how the Commission addresses systemic rule-of-law deficiencies affecting EAW execution, and questioned Eurojust on US sanctions against ICC officials and their potential spillover to EU institutions. He also asked Završek how to encourage lawyers to use EU case law on judicial independence. The session highlighted divergences between those prioritising operational efficiency and those insisting on robust safeguards, with no immediate decisions taken.
while the Commission and Eurojust emphasise practical, non-legislative improvements to maintain cooperation, civil society and some MEPs push for stronger rights integration. No concrete legislative follow-up was announced, but the session signals ongoing scrutiny of the balance between security and fundamental rights in EU judicial cooperation.