Dear Sir/Madam,

The ENCJ has been following developments in Poland, in particular the reform of the judicial system, closely. The Executive Board of the ENCJ has issued a number of statements on the legislative proposals that affect the KRS  (link to ENCJ website).

The National Council of the Judiciary of Poland (the ‘KRS’) is one of the founding members of the ENCJ and was, indeed, for a time represented on its Executive Board. The KRS therefore has always been regarded as a distinguished member of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary.

However, the recent changes in the law concerning the KRS, forming part of broader judicial reforms, call into question whether the KRS in its current form can be seen as a continuation of the organisation that became a member of ENCJ or is, in effect, a different organisation given the nature of the changes which have been brought about. If the latter is the position, this gives rise to the further question of whether the KRS, in its new (and different) form, still adheres to the purposes and statutes of the ENCJ. If the (new) KRS no longer adheres, the next question is whether the KRS can continue as a Member of the ENCJ.

The Executive Board would like to suggest that a meeting takes place between representatives of the ENCJ and the KRS in order to discuss the matter. As the next ENCJ General Assembly will take place in only two months we would like to plan this meeting on short notice.

Yours sincerely
 

Nuria Díaz Abad
President of the ENCJ