Hic Rhodus, hic salta: The ECJ Hearing of the Landmark "Celmer" Case, VerfBlog, 2018/6/06

Abstract

The highly anticipated hearing in the Celmer case (C-216/18, LM) took place on 1 June 2018 before the Grand Chamber of the ECJ. The stakes are undoubtedly high. On the one hand, the efficiency of the European Arrest Warrant mechanism is clearly at risk — a risk which could lead to broader consequences for the whole architecture of mutual trust and recognition. On the other hand, the Celmer dispute goes to the heart of the problems surrounding the current Polish judicial reforms, and to the ensuing concerns about judicial independence. Taking into account the present negotiations between the Polish government and the Commission, Celmer is unquestionably both political and delicate in the extreme.

Keywords: Poland, Rule of Law, Democratic Backsliding, Aranyosi, Celmer, European Arrest Warrant