The European Commission formally withdrew the Article 7 procedure against Poland after concluding that the country no longer violated the rule of law.
Commission Spokesman Eric Mamer wrote about that on X on Wednesday.
Today, the Commission has closed the Article 7(1) TEU procedure for Poland. There is no longer a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland.
Mamer added that the Polish authorities had taken “important steps” to restore the rule of law, which the Commission “continues to monitor and support,” according to Euractiv.
The Commission opened the case in 2017. It found then that the previous conservative PiS government (ECR) had violated the rule of law by passing laws that undermined the independence of the judiciary. When it came to power after the 2023 elections, a broad coalition led by former European Council President Donald Tusk promised to restore the rule of law and repeal the most controversial laws passed by their predecessors.
Poland’s Justice Minister Adam Bodnar presented an action plan to the Commission and Council in February. The plan consisted of nine laws designed to repeal the PiS changes and guarantee the independence of the judiciary.
The EU executive approved the plan, according to Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová. The move allowed the closure of the Article 7 procedure against Poland.
Earlier this month, Jourová announced that she would lobby the Commission to close the case, as a new positive assessment emerged. Commission chair Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to dismiss the case on May 6. She also congratulated the Tusk government on its “breakthrough.”
Yet, this does not relieve Poland and the Ministry of Justice from the need to fully implement the reforms adopted in the Action Plan.
The European Commission also launched an Article 7 procedure against Hungary and the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, which the Commission accused of violating EU values.
