The European Commission said in a statement that it "has adopted two legal acts that will pave the way for Poland to access up to EUR 137 billion in EU funding."
It added that "these acts relate to the rule of law reforms that Poland has adopted and the more recent and immediate steps that it has taken to address the milestones to strengthen judicial independence."
The Commission also welcomed "the commitment of the Polish government to address the long-standing rule of law concerns."
The announcement came after European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in Warsaw last Friday that Brussels would release funds blocked for Poland as a result of a long-standing dispute over the rule of law.
EU officials have 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.
Thursday's decision puts an end to a protracted row with Brussels over judicial changes, officials told reporters.
Poland's Justice Minister Adam Bodnar last week 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.
The European Commission says the 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 pledged to restore judicial independence and persuade Brussels to unfreeze the funds.
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Source: IAR, PAP, ec.europa.eu