European Commission v Republic of Poland (C-448/23)

Judgment of 18 Dec 2025

law://eu/cjeu/2023/c-448-23/para_177@2026-11-14

177Article 2 TEU is not, consequently, merely a statement of policy guidelines or intentions, but contains values which are an integral part of the very identity of the European Union as a common legal order, values which are given concrete expression in principles containing legally binding obligations for the Member States. Compliance with those values cannot be reduced to an obligation which a candidate State must meet in order to accede to the European Union and which it may disregard after its accession (see, to that effect, judgments of 16 February 2022, Hungary v Parliament and Council, C‑156/21, EU:C:2022:97, paragraphs 126, 127 and 232, and of 5 June 2023, Commission v Poland (Independence and private life of judges), C‑204/21, EU:C:2023:442, paragraphs 67 and 68).

Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, 1998-2026. Reuse authorised under Decision 2011/833/EU.

Key facts

Court: Court of Justice · Grand Chamber
Case: C-448/23 · ECLI:EU:C:2025:975
Decided: 18 Dec 2025
Procedure: Infringement action
Applicant: European Commission
Defendant: Republic of Poland
Rapporteur: T. von Danwitz
Advocate General: D. Spielmann
Bench: 15 judges
K. Lenaerts, T. von Danwitz, F. Biltgen, I. Jarukaitis, M.L. Arastey Sahún, I. Ziemele, J. Passer, O. Spineanu-Matei, M. Condinanzi, F. Schalin, A. Kumin, N. Jääskinen, D. Gratsias, Z. Csehi, B. Smulders
Language: Polish
Official: CURIA · EUR-Lex 62023CJ0448

Topics

Law governing the institutions

History · 1 version

18 Dec 2025Reading

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Cited by 3: MJ v AA (C-521/21); Criminal proceedings against MA (C-56/25); Republic of Poland v European Commission (C-554/24 P)
Cites 3: Treaty on European Union (consolidated 2016); European Commission v Republic of Poland (C-204/21); Hungary v European Parliament and Council of the European Union (C-156/21)