EU ministers launched hearings on Tuesday into perceived threats to the rule of law in Poland. They also urged Warsaw to step back from contested judicial reforms which the EU says puts Poland’s courts under more political control. The European Commission has triggered a punitive procedure against Poland for weakening the rule of law, the first time it has used the provision. Tuesday’s meeting will see European affairs and foreign ministers from the other 27 EU states quiz their Polish counterpart. “There can’t be any political discounts when it comes to the rule of law,” said Michael Roth, European affairs minister for Germany, which made a joint presentation with France at the meeting. “We need substantial advances, especially when it comes to the independence of the Polish judiciary.”