"This book focuses on a highly challenging aspect of all European democracies, namely the issue of combining guarantees of judicial independence and mechanisms of judicial accountability. It does so by filling the gap in European scholarship between the two policy sectors of enlargement and judicial cooperation and by taking full stock of an interdisciplinary literature, spanning comparative politics, socio-legal studies and European studies. The study provides an evidence-based grid to assess the potential impacts of the socialization and standards setting processes in the promotion of the rule of law, a domain that commands a substantial engagement and investment of resources on behalf of the Western governments. Empirical evidence provided in the volume relies on a comprehensive dataset and a number of interviews to key political and judicial actors. The volume makes an insightful account of the judicial reforms adopted by new member States to embed the principle of the rule of law in their democratic institutions and of the guidelines of quality of justice promoted by European institutions in all member States." "The book will be a valuable resource for students, scholars, legal professionals, and practitioners with an interest in rule of law promotion, judicial and legal reforms world wide."--Jacket.