ZPP Newsletter
Warsaw, 17th November 2020
THE APPEAL OF THE UNION OF ENTREPRENEURS AND EMPLOYERS TO THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE POLISH GOVERNMENT: NECESSARY COMPROMISE FOR PANDEMIC RECOVERY
The issue of the rule of law, both in terms of the definition of this concept and its practical application in the context of current political events, has been the subject of dispute for a long time between institutions of the European Union and certain member states, including Poland.
The current discussion regarding the long-term financial perspective and the potential veto on the part of Poland and Hungary is another aspect of this dispute. It is all the more emotional, as it is additionally linked to the recovery fund that is to protect the economies of member states from the long-term effects of the crisis caused by the coronavirus.
The Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers believes that the ongoing conflict serves neither party. It is in the best interest of the European Union and its institutions, as well as of individual member states, to mobilise resources from the Recovery Fund as soon as possible.
For the EU, this is a question of credibility in the face of a crisis and ability to respond to emergencies. In a broader context, an efficient disbursement of money from the fund may also serve to achieve the political goals of the European Commission, including those in the field of environmental policies. Member states, in turn, want to quickly get back on track, and in this sense, they perceive the fund as an opportunity.
The growing internal tensions may threaten the unity of the European Union in the long run. The future of the European project will largely depend on the extent to which EU institutions and representatives of individual countries will be able to reach a compromise. We believe that the present situation is a serious test of this ability, and we wish this would go well.
The regulation on the general system of conditionality in the scope of the protection of the Union’s budget in the version adopted on 5th November, to some extent, returned to the controversial regulations proposed in the original draft act, including the provisions on a breach of the rule of law, including “threats to the independence of the judiciary” or ineffective prevention, correction, and sanctioning of “arbitrary or unlawful” decisions of public authorities. These are obviously vague and interpretable categories, and linking them to such a far-reaching sanction as the possible blocking of EU funds raises understandable concerns for some member states.
Bearing in mind the above, we believe that it is in the best interest of both the European Union and all member states, including Poland, to reach a reasonable compromise as quickly as possible. It can take various forms and include, inter alia, the modification of the procedure for assessing a possible violation of the rule of law, clarifying the premises of violation listed in the regulation or, ultimately, amending the scope of these conditions
Therefore, there are at least several possibilities for overcoming this impasse – we appeal to the European institutions and the Polish government to reach a compromise as soon as possible. In this case, we can either all win together or we can all lose. A compromise is needed by the Union and the member states in order to mobilise funds for economic recovery after the epidemic crisis at the earliest opportunity.
fot. webvilla / na lic. Pixabay
