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    Artificially prolonged procedures

    There are serious objections about the European Commission’s instrumental prolongation of the process of infringement of EU values to maintain a platform for attacking Poland – stresses MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski.

    “The only basis for initiating a procedure for infringement of EU values is an Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). (Article below),” reminds the politician.

     

    He points out that the procedure was initiated against Poland on 20 December 2017 and has not been completed to date. After a break of more than two years (since 11 December 2018), the EU Council held another hearing on this issue on 22 June 2021.

     

    “While the treaty procedure itself is clear, there are serious objections about instrumentally prolonging the infringement process to maintain a platform for attacking Poland. Despite its harsh criticism of Poland, the Commission has so far decided not to propose a vote to establish a breach of the values of Article 2 TEU,” stresses the MEP.

     

    According to Article 7(2) TEU, “the European Council, acting by unanimity on a proposal by one third of the Member States or by the Commission and after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament, may determine the existence of a serious and persistent breach by a Member State of the values referred to in Article 2, after inviting the Member State in question to submit its observations”

     

    According to Saryusz-Wolski, this presents that “the trial itself is not aimed at investigating a violation of EU values, but is politically motivated and aimed at confronting the Polish Government”.

     

    * Article 7 (1) TEU “On a reasoned proposal by one third of the Member States, by the European Parliament or by the European Commission, the Council, acting by a majority of four fifths of its members after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament, may determine that there is a clear risk of a serious breach by a Member State of the values referred to in Article 2. Before making such a determination, the Council shall hear the Member State in question and may address recommendations to it, acting in accordance with the same procedure”

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