Law & Justice

EC Initiates Sanctions Process Against Poland

December 20, 2017

Politico reports that the European Commission (EC) has, for the first time, triggered the EU's process of sanctioning a member state for failing to uphold the core values of the bloc in an action against Poland over judicial independence concerns caused by an array of court reforms pursued by the country's government.
Polish Parliament Advances Legislation on Judiciary

December 19, 2017

Reuters reports that, in the body's ongoing battle with the EU over judicial changes, the Polish Parliament gave preliminary approval to a bill giving Parliament more authority over the membership of a panel charged with selecting the country's judges by sending a compromise reform bill authored by the Polish President Andrzej Duda to parliamentary committees.
Poland Faces ECJ Penalties over Logging Operations

December 15, 2017

Reuters reports that the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) ruled in November that Poland would face a penalty of 100,000 euros per day if it continued to allow logging in an ancient forest recognized by the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site pending a final ECJ ruling on the logging practices.
EC Refers Hungary to ECJ over Higher Education Law

December 14, 2017

The European Commission (EC) has referred Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) over the country’s refusal to amend new provisions that regulate institutions of higher education.
EC Refers Hungary to ECJ over NGO Funding Law

December 14, 2017

The European Commission (EC) has referred Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) over the country’s refusal to amend its law regarding foreign funding of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
EC Takes Next Step Against Hungary over Asylum Law

December 14, 2017

The European Commission (EC) has sent a “reasoned opinion” to Hungary in an escalation of the legal process against the country over its alleged violation of EU law regarding asylum.
EC Files ECJ Complaints over Refugee Settlement

December 13, 2017

AP reports that the European Commission (EC) has targeted Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic with a complaint before the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) over their failure to participate in a 2015 EU plan to redistribute 160,000 asylum seekers across the bloc that resulted in the relocation of 32,000 refugees.
UK Campaign Targets Reform of EAW

December 07, 2017

On the occasion of the launch of a campaign called "Due Process" that seeks reform of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW), David TC Davies MP writes that Brexit offers an important opportunity for Britain to break with the EAW's "fatally flawed system of extradition" and set up a new process that respects defendants' due process rights.
ECJ Official Finds Against Church on Employment Criteria

December 06, 2017

Deutsche Welle reports that Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) Evgeni Tanchev has found EU anti-discrimination law prohibits churches in Germany from discriminating against non-Christians in employment unless the discrimination is based on a "genuine, legitimate and justified occupational requirement."
Former Official Calls for EU FBI for Customs

December 01, 2017

The former head of the EU"s anti-fraud office Giovanni Kessler has called for the establishment of a European version of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for customs that combats fraud and smuggling at the borders of EU member states and implements a unified customs standard based on a consistent approach to border controls.