# European Commission triggers Article 7(1) TEU against Poland over judicial reforms (2017)

Date: 2017

In December 2017 the European Commission triggered the Article 7(1) TEU procedure against Poland, finding a 'clear risk of a serious breach' of the rule of law due to the [Law and Justice (PiS](/organizations/law-and-justice-pis)) government's overhaul of the judiciary, including changes to the [Constitutional Tribunal](/organizations/constitutional-tribunal), shortened mandates of sitting judges, and politically influenced appointments. It was the first time the Commission had ever invoked this mechanism.

## Drivers

- Supranational rule-of-law accountability pressure: https://factrail.ai/drivers/justice-supranational-accountability-pressure
- Judicial independence erosion (court capture): https://factrail.ai/drivers/justice-judicial-independence-erosion

## Sources

_Sources are listed on the canonical page._

## Methodology

https://factrail.ai/methodology

Canonical: https://factrail.ai/facts/justice-poland-article7-triggered-2017