In the debate about the judgment of the Polish Constitutional Court, the EU Commission President announced consequences for the country.
(Photo: dpa)
Strasbourg EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has threatened Poland with severe sanctions for questioning EU law. “We cannot and we will not allow our common values to be jeopardized,” she said on Tuesday. The commission will act, announced von der Leyen.
On this day in Strasbourg, the EU Parliament will debate with the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. This defended the judgment of the Polish Constitutional Court before the parliament. “The EU’s competencies have their limits, we can no longer remain silent when they are exceeded,” said Morawiecki. The EU member states must have instruments to react to this development. He quoted from judgments of the Supreme Court in the Netherlands, the French Constitutional Council and the Federal Constitutional Court to support his position.
As specific options, von der Leyen named another infringement procedure, the use of a new procedure to cut EU funds and a renewed application of the so-called Article 7 procedure. The latter could even lead to the withdrawal of Polish voting rights in EU decisions.
The background to the threats from der Leyens is a ruling by the Polish Constitutional Court, according to which parts of EU law are incompatible with Poland’s constitution. The EU Commission regards this decision as highly problematic because it could give the Polish government an excuse to ignore the unpleasant judgments of the European Court of Justice.
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The judgment calls into question the foundations of the European Union, criticized von der Leyen in parliament on Tuesday. “It is an immediate challenge to the unity of the European legal order. Only a common legal system enables equal rights, legal security, mutual trust between the member states and the resulting common policy. “
EPP demands consequences
Von der Leyen receives approval from the largest group in the EU Parliament. The group leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, calls for consequences for Poland. “The European Union has the ability to stop funds if the independence of the judiciary is not guaranteed. And that’s what we expect from the Commission, ”said the CSU politician on Tuesday in the ZDF morning magazine.
It is also clear that the heads of state and government have to sit down at a table and speak plain language, also to Poland. The European Parliament will debate Poland’s controversial judicial reform on Tuesday.
More: The Federal Constitutional Court has paved the way for the Polish EU judgment