"Despite our best efforts, it has not been possible to find solutions to the issues at stake," said commission vice president Frans Timmermans, who is leading negotiations with the Polish government.

Poland’s government must reply to the commission’s concerns within ”reasonable time”. If they do not, or if they fail to answer the questions raised, the commission can issue recommendations - marking the second of three steps in the rule of law procedure.

Timmermans noted that rule of law must function, both because member states committed to uphold EU values at the time of their accession but also to enact the application of EU laws across the EU.

”The commission is acting for the sake of European citizens and companies,” he told journalists.

The commissioner has travelled to Poland on two occasions, and he has met prime minister Beata Szydlo. More than four months of talks have not yielded results.

Poland’s government has not overturned its reform of the constitutional court, which the court itself said was unconstitutional.

President Andrzej Duda has not sworn three judge-designates that were supposed to take up their jobs last December.

”I still see us in a process of dialogue,” Timmermans said.

”We haven’t reached a stage where the matter is closed but I hope we can get there very quickly. The sooner we solve this issue, the sooner Poland can take its full role as a leader member of the EU in very trying times for all of us.

"Poland is needed in the EU and should not be distracted by things I think can be solved internally in a relatively short period of time."