The European Commission lifted the veto this Wednesday, allowing Poland’s recovery plan to receive up to 35,400 million euros from the European crisis response fund. About a year earlier, Brussels had refused to confirm Warsaw’s democratic drift. The decision came as a significant step, with ongoing questions about voting patterns and the stance of the two vice presidents, liberal Margrethe Vestager and socialist Frans Timmermans. Community sources told Europa Press that some board members expressed concerns without fully endorsing the plan at that moment.
Three other members of the Board of Directors, chaired by Ursula von der Leyen, submitted written objections and did not vote because they were not present at the meeting: Vera Jourova, Vice President of the Rule of Law, Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, and Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson.
Negotiation and subsequent voting are not a prerequisite for receiving a positive opinion from Brussels. Several commissioners indicated that the guarantees offered by the Polish government were not yet seen as sufficient to safeguard judicial independence, signaling that additional measures would be sought before the plan could be fully approved.
Von der Leyen is set to travel to Warsaw on Thursday to present the plan’s details alongside Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and President Andrzej Duda. The package could deliver direct payments of up to 23.9 billion euros and loans of up to 11.5 billion euros.
Yet Brussels’ positive assessment is not the final hurdle toward definitive approval. A broader consensus among the Twenty-Seven is still required, with Ecofin ministers expected to declare their position within a month.
The plan includes different payment tranches, all conditioned on reforms and the achievement of milestones that must be evaluated before releasing each tranche.
Brussels Plan
Paolo Gentiloni, the Commissioner for the Economy, stated at a press conference after the Board of Commissioners meeting that the scrutinizing of every commitment would be thorough and precise, avoiding premature conclusions about the rule of law. He suggested that Von der Leyen would announce the Warsaw decision on Thursday, emphasizing that the timing was linked to concrete progress rather than conversations about past concerns.
The Italian commissioner also stressed that adoption of the plan would follow the criteria set out in the regulation, not influenced by other ongoing evaluations. He attempted to distinguish this decision from other cases Brussels had kept open against Warsaw.
The plan’s path hinges on key elements connected to judicial independence, which are deemed crucial for improving the investment climate. Poland must demonstrate that milestones have been met before any payments are released, a point repeatedly underscored by the Community Manager.
During months of negotiations, Brussels warned that progress depended on meeting all established criteria, including anti-corruption measures and the guarantee of respect for the rule of law. This included issues like the dissolution of the disciplinary board over the country’s Supreme Court and the reinstatement of judges who had been suspended by the contested body.
The perceived anti-democratic drift of Poland’s ultra-conservative government complicated some negotiations. The plan faced open questions in Brussels about reforms affecting fundamental rights and the independence of the judiciary.
In March, the Community Manager activated the conditionality mechanism, enabling the freezing of parts of European funds to Poland if there was concern that budget support could be used to undermine citizens’ rights. This step reflected a cautious stance that Brussels has consistently pursued to ensure that financial support aligns with the rule of law and democratic principles.