From the Centre for European Reform, this is the CER podcast.

It is a critical moment.

If we do not act with urgency, we would then severely undermine the liberal order.

Brexit means Brexit, and we're going to make a success of it.

The wind is back in Europe's sales.

We have now a window of opportunity, but it will not stay open forever.

Hello and welcome to the CER podcast. I'm Beth Oppenheimer, a researcher here, and today I'm here with Agata Gistinsky Yakubovska, a senior researcher.

Hi there, Agatha. Hi, Beth. And today we're going to talk about the rule of law in the EU, particularly about the latest developments with the Polish government.

And rule of law is a cornerstone of the EU and it's a necessary

condition for membership, but some of the newer member states are eroding this and the EU now has

to defend it. So the Law and Justice Party, PIS, came to power in Poland in 2015 and the government

set about increasing its control over the media and the courts. It got rid of some judges in Poland's Supreme Court and replaced them with new ones.

And this has weakened democratic checks and balances and brought Poland into conflict with Brussels.

So the European Commission triggered the Article 7 procedure against the Polish government,

which could lead to the suspension of Poland's voting rights,

and it took it to the European Court of Justice over its actions.

So, Agatha, what is the state of play of this rule of law dispute between the European Commission

and the Polish government?

Has the government conceded to the EU?

Well, for the moment, there is a case against the Polish government in the Court of Justice.

The Court of Justice is about, I think, to rule on this case in February.

As you might remember, the European Commission decided eventually to bring the case against the Polish government,

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