Vera Jourova says EU executive wants to open "new chapter" with Poland

A conference composed of political faction leaders and the chief of the EU Parliament decided on Thursday to add a point regarding the rule of law in Poland to the next week session's agenda - sources in the EU Parliament told Polish Press Agency (PAP).

The motion in this matter has been filed by Renew Europe faction which argued that disciplinary measures for Polish judges had been extended. Rapporteur for an EU Mechanism on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Michal Simecka (Renew Europe) wrote on Twitter that the crisis was deepening.

Against the debate on Polish rule of law was the representative of the European Conservatives and Reformists faction, which Poland's ruling PiS party and eurosceptic group Identity and Democracy are members of. Both, however, are in minority and weren't able to block the decision. The debate has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 11th, in Strasbourg.

The last time when MEPs discussed the rule of law situation in Poland and Hungary was in mid-January. The biggest factions severely criticised at the time the then draft amendment to the law on Polish courts. Poland's ruling PiS party was convincing that Polish courts were free and independent. Simecka said on Wednesday that since the last EP session and rule of law debate the situation in Poland has changed. He explained the "muzzle law" has been passed, and the Supreme Court issued a resolution ordering judges to act in compliance with the CJEU ruling on court independence.

In response to the court reforms bill signed into law this week by President Andrzej Duda, the European Commission said it was analysing the final version of the legislation and, if needed, would not hesitate to take necessary steps.

Tuesday's debate in the EP is to be attended by the deputy chief of the EU Commission Vera Jourova.