Duda signs act of cooperation with gov't over EU Council presidency

Andrzej Duda, Poland's president, has signed into law an act on the president's cooperation with the government concerning Poland's presidency of the European Council in the first half of 2025, the President's Office announced on Friday.

The new law establishes an obligation for the government to cooperate with the president as well as with the lower and upper houses of parliament, the Sejm and Senate respectively, on issues of Poland's EU membership.

The President's Office's website reported that Duda had signed the act on Thursday. The Sejm conducted all three readings of the bill on the same day in late July.

The bill, which was initiated by Duda, was supported by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party with the opposition being critical of it, arguing it was unconstitutional and motivated by a fear of PiS losing power and hence influence over EU policy.

Duda is a former member and an ally of PiS.

Among the law's provisions, the government is obligated to submit candidacy proposals to the president for the positions of: member of the European Commission, member of the European Court of Auditors, judge of the EU Court of Justice (CJEU), Advocate General of the CJEU, member of the European Economic and Social Committee, member of the European Committee of the Regions, and director of the European Investment Bank.

Following submission of the proposal, the president has 14 days to either grant or decline his consent.