The plan was approved by almost all of the countries taking part in the meeting, although the Netherlands abstained from voting.
Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands called on the European Commission to carefully review whether Poland is fulfilling its commitments before any payments are made.
The key commitment is dismantling a controversial disciplinary chamber within Poland’s Supreme Court.
On Monday, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has signed into law a bill that removes the disciplinary chamber for judges, a required step if the country is to benefit from EUR 35 billion in post-pandemic European Union funding.
The new law, which passed through parliament last week, replaces the controversial disciplinary chamber with a new chamber of professional accountability within Poland's Supreme Court, state news agency PAP reported.
It will take effect 30 days after publication.
Duda himself had submitted the bill to parliament, saying he wanted to streamline the functioning of his country's Supreme Court.
The president has said he will be “very satisfied” if the new legislation has “the added effect” of unblocking the EU's post-pandemic cash for Poland.
Other commitments are changing the judicial disciplinary system and reinstating judges who have been suspended under existing regulations.
If Poland lives up to these commitments, it stands to receive EUR 23.9 billion in grants and EUR 11.5 billion in loans from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience funds, officials said.
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Source: IAR