EU Parliament approves Article 7 procedure against Poland

MEPs approved by 422 to 147 a resolution which supports the European Commission’s decision to trigger Article 7 against Poland for passing constitutional reforms that undermine the independence of the judiciary. The lawmakers also urged the European Council to “swiftly determine” whether Poland is at risk of a serious breach of EU law. The resolution is non-binding and is seen as a power move to put the pressure on member states. Poland now has until March 20 to back down from its controversial judiciary reforms. “This is about our moral authority in the world,” said Sophie in ’t Veld, a liberal MEP from the Netherlands, after the vote. “All eyes are on Europe now. Will the EU rise in defense of its values? It’s time to finally know where we are standing with Poland.” The Article 7, established to ensure “that all EU countries respect the common values of the EU,” has never been used. If passed it would strip Poland of its voting rights in the EU. However to be implemented it needs to be approved by all member states unanimously, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stated that he would veto any attempt to sanction Poland. The judiciary overhaul gives the parliament right to appoint 15 out of 25 members of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), which nominates judges, and the Supreme Court, which among other things, rules on the validity of elections. It also introduces the possibility to make a complaint regarding any court’s decision from the past 20 years.