ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the rule of law developments in twelve post-Soviet states with the aim of revealing the role of European and Eurasian integration processes therein. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, the CIS Free Trade Area, the Eurasian Economic Community are but a few examples of Russia's failed political and economic attempts at Eurasian integration. European integration processes are profoundly conducive to rule of law protection in the states involved. The rule of law as a pan-European principle is an inevitable element of a country's integration with the European Union (EU) and membership in the Council of Europe (CoE). The EU draws on the broader understanding of the concept used by the CoE, which incorporates the principle of an independent judiciary and respect for human rights, and seeks to promote this understanding both within and beyond its borders.
