Meeting of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in the EP in Brussels,&nbsp;on the recent developments in Poland and their impact on the Rule of Law. Exchange of views with Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Brussels

exchange of views

meeting

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

TIMMERMANS, Frans (NL, EC)

EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (T)

EU - Poland (T)

Recent developments in Poland and their impact on the Rule of Law: extracts from the exchange of views with Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Late July the Commission determinates after careful analysis that the laws as adopted by the Polish parliament would have a very significant, negative impact on the independence of the Polish judiciary, a systemic threat to the rule of law.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, The Commission spend over a year laying out its concerns regard to the rule of law in Poland. We analysed, identified, recommended and warned, we send 3 recommendations and have launched an infringement procedure on the law on ordinary Courts. To complete the picture you should also know that the Polish government refused to adapt the interim measures, issued by the European Court of Justice, with regard with the logging of theBiałowieżaforest and the Polish government has announced further measures with regard to what is called the de-concentration of the media.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, (Referring to the different age for men and women to enter into pension in Poland) Poland is now the only EU country on the verge in moving in the opposite direction.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Also from Polish press statements I can already inform you that the Polish reply does not announce any concrete measures to addressed the issues raised by the Commission. Our analysis will carefully focus on the motivations they have given. I count on you today what will be the next step of the Commission, I have to discuss that also in the College and at some point I will also take it to the Council.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Polish government has repeatedly made clear that it does not accept these concerns and that it won the elections and that it is for filling the will of the people. It is also result to attacking the messenger, questioning the Commission professionalism, questioning the COM legitimacy and claiming that it isn&rsquo;t doing anything that other Member states haven&rsquo;t done themselves. I honestly would back to differ. We always said that our stated of objective is not the imposition of sanctions or resulting to article 7, on the contrary, we are looking for real, constructive dialogue in order to address the rule of law situation in Poland. However we have also made clear our determination to use all our tools, all the tools we have at our disposal, as guardians of the treaties when it is necessary.