BRUSSELS — The European Commission’s fight with Poland over the rule of law is coming to an end, with Brussels dropping the Article 7 sanctions procedure.
“Today marks the opening of a new chapter for Poland,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday afternoon in a post on X. “After more than 6 years, we believe that the Article 7 procedure can be closed.”
The Commission launched the Article 7 sanctions procedure, which can see a country lose its voting rights in the European Council, in 2017 against Poland under its previous nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government. The move came after the government introduced reforms which the EU’s top court found violated rule-of-law standards.
When the pro-EU Donald Tusk took power in Warsaw last year, he vowed to restore the rule of law and improve Poland’s relationship with the EU.
The Commission considers that there is “no longer a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland,” it said in a statement, adding that Poland had taken the first steps to address concerns about the independence of its justice system.
Once the file against Poland is officially closed, the only EU country facing potential Article 7 sanctions will be Hungary.
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