Rule of Law: Recommendation to Poland

This new step under the Rule of Law Framework follows the intensive dialogue that has been ongoing with the Polish authorities since 13 January. The Commission believes that there is a systemic threat to the rule of law in Poland and recommends that the Polish authorities take appropriate action to address this issue as a matter of urgency. The Polish government has been asked to inform the Commission, within the next three months, of the steps taken to that effect.

Background

The rule of law is one of the common values upon which the European Union is founded. It is enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. The European Commission, together with the European Parliament and the Council, is responsible under the Treaties for guaranteeing the respect of the rule of law as a fundamental value of our Union and making sure that EU law, values and principles are respected. Recent events in Poland concerning in particular the Constitutional Court have led the European Commission to open a dialogue with the Polish Government in order to ensure the full respect of the rule of law. The Commission considers it necessary that Poland's Constitutional Tribunal is able to fully carry out its responsibilities under the Constitution, and in particular to ensure an effective constitutional review of legislative acts.

Read the cepAdhoc on the rule of law machanism and the Recommendation of the Commission