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

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)

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)

Illuminations: One month to go across the EU.

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Flower Laying moment at the Monument of Fallen Shipyard Workers

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Meeting with Lech WALESA, Former President of Poland & Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Tour of the Permanent Exhibition Centre

Návrhy aktov Únie

Bezprecedentný útok Iránu na Izrael, potreba deeskalácie a reakcia EÚ (rozprava)

Pokračovanie prerušeného rokovania

Slávnostná schôdza – 20. výročie rozšírenia EÚ v roku 2004

Hlasovanie

Schválenie zápisnice z predchádzajúceho rokovania

Útok na klímu a prírodu: pokusy krajne pravicových a konzervatívnych strán o zničenie Zelenej dohody a zabránenie investovaniu do našej budúcnosti (tematická rozprava)

Zmena smernice 2013/36/EÚ, pokiaľ ide o právomoci v oblasti dohľadu, sankcie, pobočky z tretích krajín a environmentálne a sociálne riziká a riziká v oblasti správy a riadenia - Zmena nariadenia (EÚ) č. 575/2013, pokiaľ ide o požiadavky na kreditné riziko, riziko úpravy ocenenia pohľadávky, operačné riziko, trhové riziko a minimálne požiadavky na výstupné parametre (spoločná rozprava - Banková únia)

Šiesta smernica o boji proti praniu špinavých peňazí - Nariadenie o boji proti praniu špinavých peňazí - Zriadenie Úradu pre boj proti praniu špinavých peňazí a financovaniu terorizmu (spoločná rozprava - Boj proti praniu špinavých peňazí)

Vyšetrovacie právomoci Európskeho parlamentu (rozprava)

Hlasovanie (pokračovanie)

Vyhlásenie z La Hulpe o budúcnosti sociálnej Európy (rozprava)

Spoločné budovanie udržateľnej budúcnosti: hospodárske, sociálne a územné výzvy pre konkurencieschopnú, súdržnú a inkluzívnu Európu (rozprava)

Nedávne pokusy o popretie diktatúr a riziko návratu Európy k totalite (rozprava)

Azerbajdžan, najmä útlak občianskej spoločnosti a prípady Dr. Gubada Ibadoghlua a Ilhamiza Gulijeva

Navrhované zrušenie zákona zakazujúceho mrzačenie ženských pohlavných orgánov v Gambii

Nový bezpečnostný zákon v Hongkongu a prípady Andyho Li a Josepha Johna

Schválenie návrhu zákona namiereného proti LGBTIQ osobám ghanským parlamentom a jeho dôsledky pre ľudské práva, slobodu prejavu a demokratické zásady (rozprava)

Vopred poskytované informácie o cestujúcich: posilnenie a uľahčenie kontrol na vonkajších hraniciach - Vopred poskytované informácie o cestujúcich: prevencia, odhaľovanie, vyšetrovanie a stíhanie trestných činov terorizmu a závažnej trestnej činnosti (spoločná rozprava – Vopred poskytované informácie o cestujúcich)

Vysvetlenia hlasovania

Program rokovania na nasledujúci deň

Skončenie rokovania

Plenary session

Official visit to Warsaw (Poland) - President's Keynote Address at the Academic Year at the College of Europe, Natolin

Official visit to Warsaw (Poland) - Address by Roberta METSOLA, EP President at a sitting of the Polish Senate

Official visit to Warsaw (Poland) - Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister

Press conference by Robert BIEDROŃ, Chair of FEMM Committee on backlash against women's rights in Poland, including sexual and reproductive health and rights – findings of FEMM delegation to Poland

Press conference LIBE fact finding mission to Poland and Romania on temporary protection directive’s implementation

Press conference by Tomáš ZDECHOVSK, Lara WOLTERS, Ramona STRUGARIU, Mikuláš PEKSA,  Joachim KUHS and Eider GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL on Outcome of the Fact-finding mission of the Budgetary Control Committee (CONT) to Warzaw, Poland

Press conference of the Delegation of EMPL committee to Poland 11-13 May

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary - Climate change and the environment

autre langue

EÚ vo svete

Ukončenie plenárnej schôdze konferencie

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary  (with Metadata)

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary - Education, culture, youth

Otvorenie schôdze spolupredsedami a program podľa návrhu výkonnej rady

Zdravie

Migrácia

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary (with Metadata)

Európska demokracia; Hodnoty a práva, právny štát, bezpečnosť

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary III : Panel 2, European democracy, Values and rights, rule of law and security

Zmena klímy - Zdravie

EÚ vo svete; Migrácia

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary II - III - IV - V : Panel 1-2-3-4  ( with Metadata )

Prezentácia národných podujatí

Vystúpenia pozvaných zainteresovaných strán

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary I : Opening, Agenda, Interactive presentations of National Events and stakeholders interventions

Migrácia - Prezentácia odporúčaní európskej panelovej diskusie občanov 4 a súvisiacich národných panelových diskusií

Conference on the Future of Europe - Plenary 5: Migration

Press point by the Chairs, LIBE and AFCO delegations to Poland, Warsaw

Press conference by Petri SARVAMAA, Eider GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL, Katalin CSEH and Daniel FREUND  on the Rule of Law conditionality: EU Court ruling on the annulment request by Hungary and Poland

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

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Meeting with Alessandra DULKIEWICZ, Mayor of Gdansk

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Address of the Academic Year 2023-2024

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Bilateral Meeting with Adam BODNAR, Polish Minister for Justice

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Inauguration of the Europa Experience

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Townhall Discussion with Young Poles at the University of Warsaw

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Bilateral Meeting with Radoslaw SIKORSKI, Polish Minister for Foreign affairs

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Bilateral Meeting with Szymon HOLOWNIA, Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Adress to the Senate of the Republic of Poland

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Bilateral Meeting with Malgorzata KIDAWA-BLONSKA, Marshal of the senate of the Republic of Poland

Official visit of Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Poland (Warsaw) - Meeting with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister

Witold PAHL official portrait - 9th Parliamentary term

EP Plenary session - The electoral law, the investigative committee and the rule of law in Poland

EP Plenary session - Threat to democracy and the rule of law in Poland, in particular the creation of an investigative committee

International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen 2023 Award Ceremony - Meeting with Mateusz MORAWIECKI, Prime Minister of Poland

Maciej and Aleksandra are young people and students from Poland that were born in May 2004. In the same month, Poland joined the European Union. In this news item both Maciej and Aleksandra shows their daily student life and share personal testimonies on the feelings about this historical event and the EU. Parliament celebrates the 20th anniversary of the EU’s biggest enlargement as well. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivering.

Born European - 20th anniversary of the 2004 Enlargement of the European Union - Poland

Parliament celebrates the 20th anniversary of the EU’s biggest enlargement. Young people, born on or around 1 May 2004 from the new member states, testimony on their feelings about this historical event and the EU.

Clip: Born European - 20th Anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, meets with Adam BODNAR, Polish Minister for Justice, on the occasion of her official visit to Warsaw (Poland).

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): bilateral meeting with Adam BODNAR, Polish Minister for Justice

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Lech WALESA, former President of Poland.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Gdansk (Poland): meeting with Lech WAŁĘSA, former President of Poland and Flower-Laying Ceremony at the Monument of Fallen Shipyard Workers

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, Roberta METSOLA, President of European Parliament has a discussion and meets with young people, as part of the "Gdansk Civic Lesson".

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Gdansk (Poland): extracts from the townhall meeting with young people as part of the "Gdansk Civic Lesson"

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Aleksandra DULKIEWICZ, Mayor of Gdansk and with young people as part of the "Gdansk Civic Lesson". She also visits of the permanent exhibition of the European Solidarity Centre devoted to the history of Solidarność and to changes that it triggered in Central and Eastern Europe.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Gdansk (Poland): extracts from the meeting with Aleksandra DULKIEWICZ, Mayor of Gdansk, young people and visit of the permanent exhibition of the European Solidarity Centre

In the Tricity agglomeration (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot), a large proportion of EU Cohesion funds are spent on road infrastructure. This infoclip shows the Gdańsk-Sucharski-Słowacki roads connecting Lech Wałęsa Airport with the seaport that have been built or renovated with EU Cohesion fund co-financing of 260 million euros. In Gdynia, Kwiatkowski road 41.1 million euros, Janek Wiśniewski street and the Wzgórze St. Maximilian interchange have been expanded. Using the EU support of 31.8 million euros, Tristar – an integrated traffic control system in Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot – has been developed and brought into use, which has shortened public transport journey times by 15%.

Infoclip: Road infrastructure - Cohesion Fund - Gdansk (Poland)

The College of Europe in Natolin welcomes Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament. After a welcome address by Ewa OŚNIECKA-TAMECKA, Vice-Rector of the College of Europe, she delivers a keynote address to the Natolin students of the Madeleine Albright academic year 2023/2024. The address takes place in the Auditorium Copernicus in the presence of the representatives of the Polish authorities, of the College authorities, and diplomatic corps.

Keynote address by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to the Natolin students of the Madeleine Albright academic year 2023/2024

The College of Europe in Natolin welcomes Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament. After a welcome address by Ewa OŚNIECKA-TAMECKA, Vice-Rector of the College of Europe and Federica MOGHERINI, Rector of the College of Europe, she delivers a keynote address to the Natolin students of the Madeleine Albright academic year 2023/2024. The address takes place in the Auditorium Copernicus in the presence of the representatives of the Polish authorities, of the College authorities, and diplomatic corps.

Welcome address by Ewa OŚNIECKA-TAMECKA, Vice-Rector of the College of Europe and Federica MOGHERINI, Rector of the College of Europe to the Natolin students of the Madeleine Albright academic year 2023/2024

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Małgorzata Maria KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Speaker of the Polish Senate, and addresses to the Polish Senate.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): extracts from the arrival at the Senate, meeting with Małgorzata Maria KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Speaker of the Polish Senate, and address by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Szymon HOLOWNIA, President of the Polish Parliament (Sejm).

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): extracts from the arrival at the Sejm (Polish Parliament) and meeting with Szymon HOLOWNIA, President of the Polish Parliament

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA participates in the inauguration of the Warsaw Europa Experience (Visitor Centre of the European Parliament) in presence of Ewa KOPACZ, EP Vice-President and Rafał TRZASKOWSKI, Mayor of Warsaw.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): extracts from the inauguration of the Warsaw Europa Experience (Visitor Centre of the European Parliament)

On the occasion of her official visit to Warsaw (Poland), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, meets with Warsaw University students to talk about European affairs and the upcoming elections. This news item shows extracts from her speech and her meeting with students.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): extracts from the meeting with Warsaw University students

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Radosław SIKORSKI, Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): extracts from the arrival and meeting with Radosław SIKORSKI, Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister. They speak to the press at the end of their meeting.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Warsaw (Poland): extracts from the arrival, meeting with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister, and press conference

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA addresses to the Polish Senate. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Address by Roberta METSOLA, EP President at a sitting of the Polish Senate

On the occasion of her official visit to Poland, EP President Roberta METSOLA speaks to the press with Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Donald TUSK, Polish Prime Minister

EP awards the Sakharov Prize to honour exceptional individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. Women fighting for a free, safe and legal abortion: Justyna Wydrzyńska (Poland), Morena Herrera (El Salvador), and Colleen McNicholas (United States). Wydrzyńska is a Polish women’s rights defender and member of the Abortion Dream Team, who was sentenced to eight months community service for helping a woman obtain an abortion in Poland. Herrera is a feminist and social activist, advocating for safe and legal abortion access in El Salvador. McNicholas is an American obstetrician-gynaecologist with a strong track record of high-quality patient care and impactful reproductive health advocacy. The footage are ©AFP. The material is offered for the purpose of providing information and/or education on Sakharov Prize 2023 until 11/10/2024. The assignment to a third part is not allowed.

Infoclip: Women fighting for a free, safe and legal abortion: Justyna Wydrzyńska - Poland, Morena Herrera - El Salvador, and Colleen McNicholas - United States - Sakharov Prize 2023

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EU - Poland

Rule of law in Poland - 8th parliamentary term

Rule of law in Poland

Rule of law in Poland (2019-2020)