CJEU orders Poland to suspend government-controlled judicial disciplinary chamber
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The Court of Justice of the European Union has ordered Poland to suspend the disciplinary chamber of the Supreme Court.
The chamber was established in 2017 by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party to deal with disciplinary cases against judges.
Critics, however, say it is an attempt by PiS to control the country’s justice system.
The CJEU was asked by the European Commission in January to look at the issue, arguing it failed to meet EU standards of judicial independence.
The disciplinary chamber comprises judges chosen by the National Council of the Judiciary. But the PiS altered the law so that the country’s parliament, which it controls, selects the members of the council.
In its judgment, the court said that the fact that the independence of the court may not be guaranteed is likely to cause serious damage to the EU legal order.
The country has a month to comply with the European Commission’s request for the chamber to be separated from the government and parliament before it makes its final ruling.
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