EC 'Very Close' to Triggering Article 7 on Poland

The European Commission is "very close" to triggering the EU's Article 7 procedure against Poland — a move that can lead to the suspension of a member country's voting rights, Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said Wednesday, according to Politico.eu.

The Commission will also prepare to start infringement proceedings against Warsaw for breaching EU law over its plans to bring the judiciary under government control, Timmermans told reporters.

Timmermans said triggering Article 7 — sometimes described as the EU's "nuclear option" — was "part of the discussion" on Poland. "Given the latest developments, we are coming very close to triggering Article 7," he said.

Under EU law, the Commission may determine "that there is a clear risk of a serious breach by a Member State" of the EU's fundamental values. That would set in motion a process that could lead to the country losing its right to vote in the European Council, made up of heads of state and government.

However, to get that far, the process would require the approval of all other EU member countries — and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stated that he would veto any attempt to sanction Poland.