The Netherlands supports Poland's proposal Timmermans

brussels/the hague - The Netherlands supports the European Commission's proposal to use the toughest EU procedure against Poland. 'You must always take a threat to the rule of law seriously,' says Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra.

Vice-President Frans Timmermans suggested that Member States agree to activate Article 7 of the EU Treaty, because the country brings the judiciary under political control. This procedure has never been used and can lead to Poland losing its voting rights in EU councils. The first step is that four-fifths of the Member States establish that there is a 'clear danger' that Poland is seriously violating European values. According to Timmermans, that is the case.

Zijlstra sees activation as a necessary step now that Warsaw has recently been unwilling to engage in a political dialogue on the issue. The minister calls on the Polish government to contribute constructively to a solution.