Rule of law is laid down in the EU treaties as one of the values on which the Union is based. It means that governments should be bound by law&nbsp;not to take arbitrary decisions, and that citizens should be able to challenge their actions in independent courts.

It also enshrines the fight against corruption, which unfairly favours some to the detriment of others, and the safeguarding of media freedom, thus ensuring that the public is properly informed about the work of government.

The EU has existing tools at its disposal to protect the rule of law. In&nbsp;September 2020, the European Commission published the first annual rule of law&nbsp;report monitoring both positive and negative developments with regard to the rule of law in all member states. In July 2021 the second edition of the report was published.

There is also&nbsp;dialogue on the rule of law in the Council.

If the Commission deems that a member state is violating EU law, it can start infringement proceedings that may lead to financial sanctions determined by the European Court of Justice. Another procedure, under Article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union, allows the Council to make recommendations or decide by unanimity on sanctions against a member state, including the suspension of membership rights.&nbsp;MEPs have argued that existing tools are insufficient.

​Under the new regulation, effective from January 2021, EU budget payments can be witheld from countries where established breaches of the rule of law compromise management of EU funds. At the same time, the EU ensures that final beneficiaries do not end up paying the bill.

Rule of law

Poland is a member of the EU since 1st of May 2004 and member of the Schengen area since 21st December 2007.

Poland is a parliamentary republic with a Head of government - the Prime Minister - and a Head of state - the President. The government structure is centred on the council of Ministers. The country is divided into 16 provinces, largely based on the country’s historic regions. Administrative authority at provincial level is shared between a government-appointed Governor, an elected regional Assembly and an executive elected by the regional Assembly.

There are 51 members of the European Parliament from Poland.

EU - Poland

Since the Law and Justice party (PiS) won both the presidential and parliamentary elections in Poland in autumn 2015, the new government has undertaken a series of reforms that critics say restrict democracy.

Freedom and pluralism: President Schulz of Parliament, and Commission vice-president Timmermans have voiced concern for the freedom and pluralism of Poland’s public-service television and radio and for the status of the Constitutional Court. On 13 January the Commission decided to start the first stage of the "Framework for addressing systemic threats to the Rule of Law" in Poland.

Women’s rights in Poland: the current sexual and reproductive health law in Poland is among the most restrictive in the EU but it does reflect a political consensus reached by all the parties years ago. This consensus has recently been put at risk by the pro-life movements calling for a total ban on abortion. Their “Pro- Right to Life” proposal (“citizen initiative”) and the restrictive act on IVF have been passed on for further work in the Polish parliament while a “Save the Women” proposal (a rival bid to liberalise access to legal abortion and introduce a large package of sexual and reproductive health services”) has been rejected despite earlier assurances that citizens’ initiatives will not be rejected without consideration in committees.

Rule of law in Poland - 8th parliamentary term

Rule of law is laid down in the EU treaties as one of the values on which the Union is based. It means that governments should be bound by law, that they should not take arbitrary decisions and that citizens should be able to challenge their actions in independent courts.

In view of possible democratic backsliding in Poland and in particular due to the threat to judicial independence, the European Commission initiated in December 2017 an Article 7 procedure to address a possible risk of breach of EU common values.

The Parliament has ever since repeatedly asked the Council to act and in September 2020 warned about the continuous deterioration of the situation in the country, pointing to “overwhelming evidence” of those breaches. Following the October 2021 ruling by the Polish Constitutional, the Polish government’s challenge of the established primacy of EU law was added to Parliament’s long list of concerns.

These include the powers to revise the constitution taken on by the Polish parliament since 2015, expedited legislative procedures and electoral law changes; the broad changes to the country’s judiciary, including appointments and disciplinary procedures; the situation of freedom of expression, media freedom and pluralism; and the criminalisation of sexual education and the de facto ban on abortion.

Rule of law in Poland

Under Article 2 TEU, the EU is founded on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights.

Article 7 TEU establishes two mechanisms (preventive and sanctioning mechanisms) to enforce European Union values in cases of systemic violations and to sanction Member States departing from them. The sanctions mechanism empowers the Council to suspend certain membership rights of a Member State, including voting rights in the Council in cases of a 'serious and persistent breach' of EU values (Article 7(2)TFEU)’. However, these mechanisms require a high decision-making threshold in the Council and in the European Parliament (when Parliament is called to participate) and rely heavily on Member States’ willingness to take action.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/rule-of-law-8th-parliamentary-term_10601_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Rule of law (2020)

Since the Law and Justice party (PiS) won both the presidential and parliamentary elections in Poland in autumn 2015, the government has undertaken a series of reforms that critics say restrict democracy.

Under the rule of law, governmental powers are limited by law and may be exercised only on the basis of law. An independent judiciary is indispensable to guaranteeing this state of affairs, and appropriate procedures, including legal remedies, must be in place to guarantee that individuals can protect their rights and trigger judicial review of governmental action.

Should an EU Member State be suspected of breaching the rule of law, a number of procedures are available to verify this and, if needed, remedy the situation.

Rule of law in Poland (2019-2020)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland)

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Polish Marshals of Sejm and Senate

MEPs discuss the programme of Poland’s six-month Council Presidency, which started on 1 January, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The Polish government has stated that its second EU Presidency comes “at a time of uncertainty and concern” with regard to the consequences of Russia’s three-year-long war against Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, migration pressure and declining European competitiveness. The presidency’s slogan "Security, Europe!" expresses Poland’s objective to strengthen European security in all dimensions: external, internal, information, economic, energy, food and health.

Debate on the priorities of the Polish Presidency

During her official visit to Poland, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola participated in a series of high-profile engagements that underscored the importance of EU-Poland relations. 

The visit began with a meeting between President Metsola and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw. 

Following this, President Metsola attended the "The Future of Poland 2024" event at the University of Warmia and Mazury. During the event, she delivered a speech.. The subsequent Q&A session was moderated by Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland

EP President Roberta Metsola meets the Mayor of Gdansk, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, participates in a Town Hall discussion with young people and visits the European Solidarity Centre. The President also  meets Lech Wałęsa, former President of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and lays flowers at the Monument of Fallen Shipyard Workers.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Gdansk)

EP President Roberta Metsola visits the Warsaw Rising Museum,meets the Prime Minister of Poland and jointly speak to the press. She also meets the Marshal of the Senate of Poland, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska,  addresses the Senate of Poland,  meets the Marshal of the Sejm of Poland, Szymon Hołownia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski and participates in a Town Hall discussion with young people.The President also inaugurates the Europe Experience in Warsaw and delivers the Keynote Address of the Academic Year at the College of Europe in Natolin.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw)

EP Plenary session - Parliament's statements on Solidarity with Poland following the deliberate violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Speech at the Grand European Picnic & Public Performance of the ‘Ode de Joy’

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Meeting with Dariusz JOŃSKI, Member of the European Parliament and Hanna ZDANOWSKA, Mayor of Łódź

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Honorary doctorate ceremony at Lodz University of Technology

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, official visit to Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) - Meeting with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister

LEX signing ceremony in the presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Adam SZLAPKA, Minister for the European Union on behalf of the Polish Presidency

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Radosław SIKORSKI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Radoslaw SIKORSKI, Polish Minister for Foreign affairs

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Szymon HOŁOWNIA Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Małgorzata KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland

LEX signing ceremony in presence of Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Adam SZLAPKA, Polish Minister for the European Union on behalf of the Polish Presidency

Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister meets with Polish MEPs

EP Plenary session - Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Andrzej DOMANSKI, Polish Minister of Finance

Keynote Speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President at a discussion organised by Polityka Insight

EP Conference of Presidents meets with the incoming Polish Presidency of the Council: meeting with Szymon HOŁOWNIA, Marshal of the Sejm and Małgorzata Maria KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Senate of Poland

EP Conference of Presidents meets with the incoming Polish Presidency of the Council: Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Szymon HOŁOWNIA, Marshal of the Sejm and Małgorzata Maria KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Senate of Poland

2025 Sakharov Prize laureate Andrzej POCZOBUT, is a journalist, essayist and blogger from the Polish minority in Belarus, a critic of Alexander Lukashenko’s regime and symbolic figure in the struggle for freedom and democracy in the country. Mzia AMAGLOBELI, Georgian journalist and director of media outlets, detained for two years on politically motivated charges, and Georgia's pro-democracy protest movement. The material is offered for editorial use only, for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the Sakharov Prize 2025. No use after December 31st, 2025. No archive. User is prohibited from stripping the AFPTV material from the program initially produced to create a new program. No sublicensing to third parties. For any other uses, please contact AFP – www.afp.com Copyright: © PRCS, 2025 This transcription if the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery

Infoclip: Sakharov Prize 2025 Laureate - Imprisoned journalists fighting for freedom, Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia

Following the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones, political group speakers express their solidarity with Poland during the plenary session.

Parliament's statements on Solidarity with Poland following the deliberate violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones: one round of political group speakers

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, pays an official visit to Łódz, in Poland where she receives the honoris causa from the Łódz University of Technology. She gives an acceptance speech during the ceremony. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, to Łódz (Poland) - Honorary doctorate ceremony at Łódz University of Technology: acceptance speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, pays an official visit to Łódz, in Poland where she makes a doorstep and participates to the "Ode de Joy" record event.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Łódz (Poland) - doorstep and participation to the Ode de Joy record event

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, pays an official visit to Łódz, in Poland where she receives the honoris causa during a ceremony at Lodz University of Technology. This news item shows extracts from the ceremony.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Łódz (Poland) - Honorary doctorate ceremony at Lodz University of Technology: extracts from the ceremony

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, visits Warsaw (Poland) where she meets with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister. This news item shows extracts from the arrival, meeting and roundtable

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): arrival and welcome by Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister, meeting and roundtable

This video presents current ground and drone views of Warsaw, focusing on areas where the remains of the Warsaw Ghetto wall can still be seen, along with various monuments commemorating the victims and the 1943 Ghetto Uprising. These locations, spread across different districts of the city. Established by Nazi Germany in 1940, the Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of its kind in occupied Europe, where hundreds of thousands of Jews were forcibly confined in overcrowded, inhumane conditions before mass deportations to extermination camps.

Infoclip: Remains of the Warsaw Ghetto wall across the city (Poland)

The EP and Poland’s Sejm and Senate are organising a conference bringing together European and national MPs, to discuss stability, economic coordination and governance in the EU. Roberta METSOLA, EP President, meets with Szymon HOŁOWNIA, Marshal of the Polish Sejm, and Małgorzata KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Polish Senate.

Meeting between Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Szymon HOŁOWNIA Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, and Małgorzata KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland

MEPs discuss the programme of Poland’s six-month Council Presidency, which started on 1 January, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The Polish government has stated that its second EU Presidency comes “at a time of uncertainty and concern” with regard to the consequences of Russia’s three-year-long war against Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, migration pressure and declining European competitiveness. The presidency’s slogan "Security, Europe!" expresses Poland’s objective to strengthen European security in all dimensions: external, internal, information, economic, energy, food and health. Closing statement by Dubravka ŠUICA, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, and Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister.

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency: Closing statement by Dubravka ŠUICA, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, and Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister

MEPs discuss the programme of Poland’s six-month Council Presidency, which started on 1 January, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The Polish government has stated that its second EU Presidency comes “at a time of uncertainty and concern” with regard to the consequences of Russia’s three-year-long war against Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, migration pressure and declining European competitiveness. The presidency’s slogan "Security, Europe!" expresses Poland’s objective to strengthen European security in all dimensions: external, internal, information, economic, energy, food and health. MEps debate.

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency: MEPs debate

MEPs discuss the programme of Poland’s six-month Council Presidency, which started on 1 January, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The Polish government has stated that its second EU Presidency comes “at a time of uncertainty and concern” with regard to the consequences of Russia’s three-year-long war against Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, migration pressure and declining European competitiveness. The presidency’s slogan "Security, Europe!" expresses Poland’s objective to strengthen European security in all dimensions: external, internal, information, economic, energy, food and health. One round of political group speakers.

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency: one round of political group speakers

MEPs discuss the programme of Poland’s six-month Council Presidency, which started on 1 January, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The Polish government has stated that its second EU Presidency comes “at a time of uncertainty and concern” with regard to the consequences of Russia’s three-year-long war against Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, migration pressure and declining European competitiveness. The presidency’s slogan "Security, Europe!" expresses Poland’s objective to strengthen European security in all dimensions: external, internal, information, economic, energy, food and health. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency: opening statement by Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister and by Dubravka ŠUICA, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency: Opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

This news item focuses on the plenary debate around the programme of Poland's Council Presidency, which began on 1st January. This debate follows up on the presentation of the priorities delivered by the Polish Prime Minister, Donald TUSK. The Polish government has stated that its second EU Presidency comes “at a time of uncertainty and concern” with regard to the consequences of Russia’s three-year-long war against Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, migration pressure and declining European competitiveness. Poland’s objective is to strengthen European security in all dimensions, including protection of both external and internal borders, economy, energy, food and health. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister: arrival, meeting with Roberta METSOLA, EP President and extracts from the debate

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament; Szymon HOŁOWNIA, the Marshal of the Sejm of Poland and Małgorzata Maria KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Polish Senate, give press statement after the meeting with the Marshal of the Sejm, Mr Szymon Hołownia and Members of political groups in the Polish Parliament to prepare the upcoming Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which will run from January to June 2025. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press statements by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Szymon HOŁOWNIA, the Marshal of the Sejm of Poland and Małgorzata Maria KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Polish Senate

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA participates to the "The Future of Poland 2024" event, at the University of Warmia and Mazury where she makes a statement and participates in a questions and answers session, with Rafal TRZASKOWSKI, Mayor of Warsaw. Roberta METSOLA, EP President talks about her commitment to a strong rule of law in Poland, the priorities of the new Parliament, the Artificial Intelligence Act, the situation in Gaza.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Olsztyn (Poland): extracts from the participation to "The Future of Poland 2024" event at the University of Warmia and Mazury

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA participates in a questions and answers session in the "The Future of Poland 2024" event, at the University of Warmia and Mazury.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Olsztyn (Poland): questions and answers with Roberta METSOLA, EP President, at "The Future of Poland 2024" event, at the University of Warmia and Mazury

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA makes a statement during her participation in the "The Future of Poland 2024" event, at the University of Warmia and Mazury.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Olsztyn (Poland): statement by Roberta METSOLA at "The Future of Poland 2024" event, at the University of Warmia and Mazury

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