Abstract
The European Union is a representative and guardian of fundamental values that secure the guarantees of the democratic functioning of the Member States. One of the core values of the European Union and of democracy is the rule of law, which includes, inter alia, the compliance of any interference with the law and the primacy of higher laws. The basic question is whether these core values are binding on the EU legislator itself as well? In this context, further questions can be raised such as whether the territorial approach inherent in Article 174 of the Treaty, which is the basis of the European Union’s operation, to what extent it prevails in EU law? How the countryside, as a territorial unit deserving particular attention, does appear in legislation and in EU development policy? Does the legislator strive to enforce the fundamental goals set out in the Treaty – such as strengthening cohesion, mitigating territorial differences? The paper seeks to address these issues primarily on the basis of an assessment of the EU draft legislation for the post-2020 period.