The European Commission's 2026 Rule of Law Report on Estonia, published on 22 July 2026, finds limited progress on judicial reform, anti-corruption efforts, and media independence, issuing specific recommendations for the Council for the Administration of Courts. The report notes that the reform of the Council for the Administration of Courts, adopted on 17 June 2026, leaves its composition unchanged at 11 members, including five peer-elected judges and at least two active politicians, which does not meet European standards requiring at least half of members to be judges chosen by their peers and no active politicians with voting rights. On anti-corruption, a new strategic framework is expected by end of 2026, with a comprehensive revision of the Anti-Corruption Act planned over the next four years. Additional resources have been allocated to the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs for anti-corruption initiatives, and an e-learning course on conflict of interest is to be updated by July 2026. The regulator for audiovisual media services continues to operate independently, but Estonia still lacks a law on media market concentration. The government is preparing steps to improve public consultation processes, and the Strategic partnership funding programme for civil society organisations has entered into force. The report's recommendations aim to address persistent gaps in judicial governance, anti-corruption frameworks, and media pluralism, impacting national authorities, judges, civil society, and media operators.
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