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EU to drop rule-of-law case against Poland

06.05.2024 15:00
The European Commission announced on Monday that it would drop its Article 7 sanctions procedure against Poland, ending a prolonged row with Warsaw over the rule of law.
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The Commission said in a statement that it believed there is “no longer a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland."

The executive arm of the 27-nation European Union noted that Poland "has launched a series of legislative and non-legislative measures" to address concerns over the independence of its justice system.

Poland has also "recognised the primacy of EU law and is committed to implementing all the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights related to rule of law including judicial independence," the European Commission said in its statement.

"Today marks the opening of a new chapter for Poland,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X.

“After more than six years, we believe that the Article 7 procedure can be closed," she added. "I congratulate Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his government on this important breakthrough. This is a result of Poland's hard work and determined reform efforts."

The European Commission in December 2017 took the unprecedented step of triggering Article 7 of the EU Treaty against Poland, stepping up pressure on Warsaw over controversial changes to the judicial system by the country’s conservative government at the time.

The move came after the Polish government introduced reforms that the EU’s top court found violated rule-of-law standards.

The Article 7 sanctions procedure could see a country lose its voting rights in the European Union.

Monday's announcement comes after EU officials praised Warsaw’s efforts to restore the rule of law after what they say were years of democratic backsliding under the country's previous government.

The European Commission says that Poland's previous government, which was in power from 2015 to 2023, brought the courts and judges under political control and undermined democratic checks and balances.

Legal changes made by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party and its allies put Poland on a collision course with the European Union and triggered a series of clashes between Warsaw and Brussels.

As a result, the EU executive held back billions in funds intended for Poland under the bloc's post-pandemic recovery package and cohesion policy.

Poland's new pro-EU government, which took power in December, pledged to restore the rule of law and improve Warsaw's relations with Brussels.

Poland last month received EUR 6.3 billion in EU recovery funds, with government officials hailing the payment as the country's largest transfer from Brussels since joining the bloc two decades ago.

Poland's Justice Minister Adam Bodnar in February attended a meeting of the EU's General Affairs Council in Brussels, where he laid out a plan to reverse a massive legal overhaul carried out by Poland's previous right-wing government.

Poland last week celebrated 20 years since becoming a member of the European bloc.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, politico.euec.europa.eu