The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission reasoned proposal of 20 December 2017 in accordance with Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) regarding the rule of law in Poland: Proposal for a Council decision on the determination of a clear risk of a serious breach by the Republic of Poland of the rule of law (COM(2017)0835),

–  having regard to Commission Recommendation (EU) 2018/103 of 20 December 2017 regarding the rule of law in Poland, complementary to Recommendations (EU) 2016/1374, (EU) 2017/146 and (EU) 2017/1520(1),

–  having regard to the Commission’s decision to refer Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union under Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union for infringement of Union law by the law amending the law on the organisation of ordinary courts(2),

–  having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2017 on the situation of the rule of law and democracy in Poland(3) and to its previous resolutions on the subject,

–  having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas its resolution of 15 November 2017 on the situation of the rule of law and democracy in Poland states that the current situation in Poland represents a clear risk of a serious breach of the values referred to in Article 2 TEU;

1.  Welcomes the Commission’s decision of 20 December 2017 to activate Article 7(1) TEU as regards the situation in Poland and supports the Commission’s call on the Polish authorities to address the problems;

2.  Calls on the Council to take swift action in accordance with the provisions set out in Article 7(1) TEU;

3.  Calls on the Commission and the Council to keep Parliament fully and regularly informed of progress made and action taken at every step of the procedure;

4.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council, the President, Government and Parliament of Poland, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

(1) OJ L 17, 23.1.2018, p. 50. (2) SEC(2017)0560. (3) Texts adopted, P8_TA(2017)0442.