EC takes Poland to court over 'violations of judicial independence'

The commission also asked the top European court to effectively reinstate the judges forced into early retirement after a reform of the Polish Supreme Court entered into effect in early August.

Poland's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which came to power in late 2015, has said that sweeping changes are needed to reform an inefficient and sometimes corrupt judicial system tainted by the communist past, accusing judges of being an elite, self-serving clique often out of touch with the problems of ordinary citizens.

But according to the European Commission, new Polish rules governing the Supreme Court which set a retirement age for judges broke the principles of judicial independence and irremovability of judges.

Poland's European affairs minister has previously said that Poland would defend the changes to its judiciary.

Warsaw and Brussels have been at odds over the rule of law in Poland after the ruling conservative Law and Justice party introduced sweeping changes to the country's judiciary.

The European Commission last December took the unprecedented step of triggering Article 7 of the EU Treaty against Poland, stepping up pressure on Warsaw over the controversial legal changes.

Since then, the commission launched separate procedures against Poland in response to the more recent Supreme Court reforms.

(vb/pk)