Rule of law in Poland: debate with Timmermans and the Polish government
Civil Liberties MEPs will discuss the situation of rule of law in Poland with Frans Timmermans, the Polish Minister of Justice (TBC) and other experts on Tuesday.
Following a visit to Poland by an official EP delegation in September, MEPs will assess the state of play in particular as regards the independence of the judiciary, in view of the recent legislative reforms in this field, in the framework of the Article 7(1) procedure initiated in December 2017 by the European Commission.
Representatives of the Austrian and Romanian EU Presidencies will present their views to the committee after presentations by EC First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro (TBC).
Claude Moraes (S&D, UK), Chair of the Civil Liberties Committee and head of the delegation that travelled to Warsaw in September, will present his conclusions following the visit, which included meetings with the government and the judiciary, media representatives and activists, among others.
MEPs will also exchange views with representatives of the Council of Europe Venice Commission, the Polish Ombudsman and several academics.
Background
In March the European Parliament backed the EU Commission’s proposal to activate Article 7 (1) of the EU Treaty and urged EU governments to swiftly determine whether Poland is at risk of a serious breach of EU values and if so, to propose solutions. The European Parliament would have to give its consent and the Civil Liberties Committee would be in charge of initiating such a procedure.
When: Tuesday, 20 November, from 14.30 to 18.00
Where: European Parliament in Brussels, József Antall (2Q2)
Follow the hearing live
