Enforcing the European Union’s Rule of Law Through Economic Governance Mechanisms: The Role of the European Semester

Due to the lack of a single comprehensive instrument dedicated to the protection of fundamental values across the Union, EU institutions have increasingly relied on economic governance mechanisms to safeguard rule of law principles in the Member States. In particular, the European Semester has arguably become one of the European Commission’s preferred institutional frameworks to advance its rule of law agenda. This chapter focuses on the role of the European Semester in EU rule of law surveillance, it examines the specific economic governance tools adopted for rule of law guidance and monitoring within the European Semester and discusses their advantages and limitations in light of developments following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.