On 20 December the European Commission started the first step of an infringement procedure against Poland for its controversial judicial reform.

The procedure under article 7 of the Treaty on European Union has never been used before. The first step seeks to determine that "there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law" by a Member State. A possible second step, imposing sanctions against Warsaw's government, would need the unanimity of EU members – the concerned state excluded.

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