Commissioner Michael McGrath, in a written answer to a parliamentary question from MEP Marcin Sypniewski (ESN), stated that the Commission considers Poland to no longer present a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law, having formally closed the Article 7 TEU procedure in May 2024. The answer reaffirms that the Commission's decision was based on a thorough analysis and that Poland's rule of law situation has improved sufficiently to warrant the withdrawal of the reasoned proposal that had triggered the procedure in 2017.
The question, submitted on 26 February 2026, asked whether the Commission currently views Poland as fully compliant with rule of law standards, whether Poland had failed to meet those standards between 2015 and 2023, and what specific changes after 2023 demonstrated improvement. Commissioner McGrath's answer did not provide a direct yes or no to the first question but referred to the closure of the Article 7 procedure as evidence that the risk of a serious breach no longer exists. On the second question, the answer pointed to the Commission's reasoned proposal, several Court of Justice judgments, and annual Rule of Law Reports as having clearly set out the concerns for the 2015-2023 period. For the third question, the answer noted that the Commission continues to monitor Poland's progress, including implementation of the Action Plan on the Rule of Law, through the annual Rule of Law Reports.
The answer contains no new concrete proposals, numerical targets, or deadlines. It is a declarative statement confirming a prior decision and outlining ongoing monitoring. The policy orientation is one of de-escalation and normalisation, signalling that the Commission views the rule of law situation in Poland as having been addressed, while maintaining oversight through existing mechanisms. No specific institutional follow-up is indicated beyond the continued publication of annual Rule of Law Reports.
Policy orientation and cleavage analysis The answer reflects a shift from confrontation to cooperation, reducing the tension between EU-level enforcement of rule of law standards and national sovereignty. The closure of the Article 7 procedure reduces the risk of sanctions and unlocks access to EU funds, benefiting Polish authorities and EU taxpayers by restoring financial flows. However, the answer does not address concerns about the perceived arbitrariness of the conditionality mechanism, leaving some stakeholders, such as civil society groups advocating for robust enforcement, dissatisfied. The impact on EU regulatory bodies is moderate, as the Commission retains monitoring powers but loses a key enforcement tool. Polish citizens may see improved access to EU funds, but the lack of detailed justification for the closure may fuel perceptions of political pressure.
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