On 17 September 2026, the Bureau of the European Court, headed by President Mattias Guyomar, met with members of the European Parliament’s ‘Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group’ (DRFMG) in the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg. The DRFMG is a cross-party forum whose work gives prominence to judgments by the European Court, media freedom, judicial independence, combating corruption and civic space.

Discussions focussed on restoring the rule of law after democratic backsliding; enforcement of judgments of the European Court; the relationship between the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union; and the European Union’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for an informal exchange on the challenges currently facing Europe.