SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 29 March 2024, Friday |

EU starts legal steps against Poland over constitutional court ruling

The European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Poland on Wednesday over rulings by the country’s constitutional tribunal in July and October that challenged the primacy of EU law over national law.

“The Commission considers that these rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are in breach of the general principles of autonomy, primacy, effectiveness and uniform application of Union law and the binding effect of rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union,” the Commission said.

The legal action by the Commission, which is the guardian of EU treaties, is an escalation of the conflict with Warsaw over the rule of law that began when Poland’s ruling nationalist and euro-sceptic PiS party took power in 2015.

The clash has delayed the release of billions of euros from EU recovery funds to Poland because the Commission says Poland’s courts are not independent from political influence meaning the funds are not protected from misuse.

The European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Poland on Wednesday over rulings by the country’s constitutional tribunal in July and October that challenged the primacy of EU law over national law.

“The Commission considers that these rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are in breach of the general principles of autonomy, primacy, effectiveness and uniform application of Union law and the binding effect of rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union,” the Commission said.

The legal action by the Commission, which is the guardian of EU treaties, is an escalation of the conflict with Warsaw over the rule of law that began when Poland’s ruling nationalist and euro-sceptic PiS party took power in 2015.

The clash has delayed the release of billions of euros from EU recovery funds to Poland because the Commission says Poland’s courts are not independent from political influence meaning the funds are not protected from misuse.

    Source:
  • Reuters