The European Commission, meeting in Strasbourg, has been debating the state of the rule of law in Poland. The Commission has requested the suspension of the activities of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court. It seems that under the new President, Ursula von der Layen, the European Commission is continuing the policy of interference in lawmaking in Poland, which had been championed by former Commission Vice President, Frans Timmermans.
Von Der Layen said that the most important thing for the European Commission is to engage in dialogue with representatives of the Polish judicial system and the Polish government.
On October 10th, the European Commission announced its decision to file a complaint to the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding the disciplinary system of judges in Poland in order to protect judges from political control.
As she explained, the new system of the disciplinary centres does not ensure the independence and impartiality of the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court which comprises judges chosen by the National Council of Judiciary which is itself elected by the Sejm in a procedure that is of a political character.
On Thursday, the European Parliament is to adopt a resolution calling on the European Commission to find a reason to justify the European Court of Justice suspending the action of the new Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court.