Poland and the EU

Summary

Podcast Summary: Down to Business English

Episode: Poland and the EU

Hosts: Skip Montreux & Dez Morgan
Date: February 4, 2018

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Skip and Dez delve into the tensions between Poland and the European Union, focusing on the recent triggering of Article 7 by the European Commission due to Poland's judicial reforms. The hosts explore Poland’s journey within the EU, economic achievements, explain key concepts like Article 7, and discuss the broader implications for the EU. They also address listener requests and introduce new self-study products aimed at ESL/EFL learners. The episode is packed with business vocabulary explanations and context, making it especially valuable for those wanting to improve their business English in international settings.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Poland and the EU: A Brief History (03:30–07:55)

• Poland’s Path into the EU

  • After the fall of the Soviet Union, Poland quickly aligned with Western European organizations. Its 1980s Solidarity movement was instrumental in undermining the USSR.
    • Quote (06:04): “Poland became a full member of the EU on May 4, 2004.” – Skip
  • Poland applied for EU membership soon after the EU’s 1994 inception; ten years of negotiation led to its 2004 accession, alongside nine other countries—marking the EU’s largest expansion.

• Economic Progress

  • Poland stands out among new EU members for impressive economic growth and stability:

    • Quote (07:31): “Since 1991, Poland's per capita income has increased from $2,300 to $13,000. And their economy has grown on average of 4% a year. That's a European record.” – Skip

  • Growth attributed largely to a robust manufacturing sector rather than commodity exports.

    • Quote (08:24): “In a word, manufacturing... Poland does not depend on commodity exports. Instead, they have focused more on their manufacturing sector.” – Skip

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2. Triggering Article 7 — What Happened? (09:38–11:44)

• Background: What is Article 7?

  • Article 7 of the EU Treaty allows the European Commission to penalize member states violating fundamental human and legal rights.
    • Quote (09:47): “Article 7 is a mechanism which allows the European Commission to punish a member state who they feel is not meeting fundamental human and legal rights.” – Dez

• Why Target Poland?

  • The European Commission objected to reforms that, they argue, undermine judicial independence and democracy in Poland.
    • Quote (10:46): “The European Commission is not happy about recent judicial reforms Poland's right wing government has been implementing. According to the Commission, these reforms make Poland less democratic.” – Skip

• Divergence of Perspectives

  • Polish government sees external meddling; opposition claims democracy is at risk, while the public mood appears divided.
    • Quote (11:23): “There have been public protests against the reforms... but at the same time, people are happy with how economic and immigration policies are being managed.” – Skip

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3. Possible Consequences and EU Dynamics (11:49–12:23)

• Sanctions & Unlikely Outcomes
  • If Poland does not satisfy the Commission, the EU requires unanimous consent from the 27 other member states to revoke Poland’s voting rights—an outcome seen as near impossible.
    • Quote (12:13): “A unanimous decision. That's highly unlikely.” – Dez
    • Quote (12:17): “More like impossible. Hungary has already stated they will not vote against Poland.” – Skip

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4. Audience Engagement (12:23–12:52)

• The hosts invite Polish and European listeners to contribute their views on the reforms and the EU’s response.
  • Quote (12:45): “So, to all our European listeners, especially if you are from Poland, send us an email, let us know your views.” – Skip

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5. Business English Vocabulary (16:12–22:33)

Featured Expressions:

• Trigger (16:12): “When you trigger something, you start something or make something happen.” – Dez
  • Example relating to market movements and news impact.
• Step on One’s Toes (17:11): Taking responsibility or action in someone else’s usual domain.
  • Quote (17:44): “I was apologizing for preparing a report on a topic that Dez is usually responsible for.” – Skip
• Precursor (18:27): Something that leads to or comes before another thing.
  • Example: EEC as precursor to the EU; MySpace preceding Facebook.
• Fare Well (19:47): To have good luck or positive results.
  • Used for both country performance and personal experiences.
• Flex One’s Muscles (21:00): To show off power or strength.
  • European Commission seen as “flexing its muscles” with Article 7.
  • Example from last episode about Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince modernizing the country.
    • Quote (21:20): “So idiomatically, when you flex your muscles, you're showing off just how powerful you are.” – Dez

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6. Listener Resources & New Self-Study Product (13:26–15:14)

• Introduction of “Down to Communication” (D2C), a self-study audio tool to improve English fluency via repetition and shadowing with key business phrases.

  • Quote (13:52): “Down to Communication is a short audio file... so that you can practice repeating them after us or shadowing what we say.” – Dez

• Details on how to access and sample D2C via the show’s website for members and trial users.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On EU Expansion:
  “It was the EU’s largest expansion.” – Dez (06:52)

• On Poland’s Economic Growth:
  “Out of the world's 13 emerging economies, nine of them still rely on commodity exports. The four that don't are all Eastern European economies... and Poland is leading the way.” – Skip (09:02–09:03)

• On Public Opinion:
  “But honestly, it depends on who you ask and which media outlet you believe.” – Skip (11:44)

• On Repercussions:
  “If and only if the 27 countries are in agreement, Poland would lose their voting rights in the EU.” – Skip (12:07)

• On Future Topics:
  “I’m working on a report about the media and fake news.” – Dez (23:17)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Poland’s History in the EU: 03:30–07:55
• Poland’s Economic Transformation: 07:31–09:19
• Article 7 Explanation: 09:38–10:46
• EU vs. Poland—Diverging Views: 10:46–11:44
• Sanctions Process/Outcome: 11:49–12:23
• Invitation for Listener Feedback: 12:23–12:52
• New Self-Study Product (D2C): 13:26–15:14
• Business Vocabulary Review: 16:12–22:33

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Conclusion

Skip and Dez guide listeners through the intricate situation between Poland and the EU with balanced, clear explanations. The episode is valuable for business professionals interested in European current affairs, EU politics, and English language learners wanting to expand their vocabulary in authentic business contexts. The conversational style, engaging banter, and focus on useful expressions make it accessible and immediately relevant for the international business community.

Further Engagement:
Listeners, especially those from Poland or with opinions about EU politics, are encouraged to share perspectives for possible discussion in future episodes.

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For resources, transcripts, or to try the “Down to Communication” self-study product, visit: www.downtobusinessenglish.com

Transcript

[A]

From Tokyo, Japan and Abu Dhabi, uae, this is down to Business English Business news to improve your business English with your hosts, Skip Montreux and Des Morgan.

[B]

Mr. Des Morgan, happy belated New Year to you.

[C]

And a happy New Year to you too, Skip.

[B]

Welcome back. Hey, good to be back, listeners. We are very sorry for taking so long to get a new episode out this year, but we ran into a hurdle that was a little bit out of our hands. Des, do you want to explain what happened?

[C]

Well, we were all ready to go in early January when we discovered that the UAE had blocked Skype and all other VoIP services. As Skype is our main method of communication, Skip and I couldn't speak with each other.

[B]

That's right. We could text, but we couldn't actually have a conversation, which made it impossible to record.

[C]

Fortunately, we found a workaround and it looks like we can move forward from here. We will try to catch up on episodes in February and in March.

[B]

Onwards and upwards. So, Des, you travelled back to the UK over the winter holidays, didn't you? How was that? Were you in London for New Year's Eve? I hear they throw quite the party in Old London town.

[C]

Yes, I hear they do, but I wasn't invited.

[B]

Well, nothing has changed in that department then.

[C]

Ah, indeed. And how about you? Did you have a good New Year's celebration?

[B]

It was on the quiet side, actually. I did the typical Japanese routine. I cleaned up around my house, ate some soba on New Year's Eve, and then at midnight went to the local shrine and prayed for good fortune for the upcoming year. Then I went home and basically hibernated for a few days.

[C]

You didn't venture out much?

[B]

Not too much, no.

[C]

Well, you sound rested.

[B]

I feel rested, as a matter of fact. Looking forward to a very productive year for down to Business English. And I'm excited to finally, finally be recording our first podcast of the season.

[C]

Ah, me too.

[B]

I want to ask you, Des, when you were in the uk, how did you find the mood in terms of the looming Brexit? From what I can tell, negotiations are not going as well as Theresa May had hoped.

[C]

Actually, people are finally starting to wake up to the fact that Brexit is happening.

[B]

I've recently read that Nigel Farage is back back and is open to having a second referendum.

[C]

I didn't hear that, but stranger things have happened.

[B]

Have you been following the developments between the European Union and Poland?

[C]

Are you referring to the EU triggering Article 7 against them in late December, which could lead to Poland losing their EU voting rights? Those developments?

[B]

Yes, those developments. Have you been following them?

[C]

Somewhat, yes. If the EU didn't have enough on their hands with the uk, they're now battling another member state. Is this our story today?

[B]

I have indeed prepared a report on this very topic.

[C]

Sounds good.

[B]

So let's do it. Let's get D2B down to business with Poland and the EU. What is the history of Poland in the Union? What is article 7 and why has the European Commission triggered it?

[C]

I have to say, Skip, I'm a little surprised you have chosen this story. The EU is my beat. If you had asked, I could have prepared a report.

[B]

I know, but there are two. Two good reasons I decided to tackle this topic on my own.

[C]

And what are they?

[B]

Well, first, one of our D2B members in Poland has asked us several times to cover a story related to Poland.

[C]

Well, that's a good reason. And.

[B]

And secondly, the EU triggered Article 7 in late December, just as you were leaving on holidays. I didn't want to burden you with the extra task of researching a report while you were away.

[C]

Oh, I would have done it. It wouldn't have been a problem.

[B]

I know you wouldn't balk at doing it. That's why I didn't say anything. You did so much research and writing last season. I wanted to help out a bit. Besides, I had some time on my hands.

[C]

Aren't you considerate?

[B]

Sorry if I'm stepping on your toes by covering the eu.

[C]

Oh no, not at all.

[B]

However, I am hoping you can use your EU expertise to clarify a few points for me.

[C]

By all means.

[B]

So, let's start with the country itself. What can you tell me about Poland as well?

[C]

Off the top of my head, I would say that Poland is a former Soviet bloc country who, after the fall of the ussr, quickly aligned itself with the European Union.

[B]

Oh, superb. Although I might add that economic and political movements in Poland in the 1980s played a large role in the downfall of the Soviet Union.

[C]

Yes, I would agree with that. Lequa Lensa and the Solidarity movement was instrumental in bringing democracy to the country.

[B]

But even before the Republic of Poland came into existence in the early 90s, Poland was in negotiations with the European Economic Community, or eec, the precursor to the European Union. Oh, you are quite the Euro expert, aren't you?

[C]

I'm just clarifying for our non European listeners.

[B]

Well, thank you. So, Poland was negotiating with the EEC, which in 1994 became the EU. And almost immediately Poland applied for membership.

[C]

But if memory serves me, they didn't become an official member. Until 2003 or 2004. It took about 10 years of negotiations to meet all the requirements for joining the club. Club?

[B]

I believe you really are a Euro expert. And I'm not being sarcastic this time. That is exactly correct. Poland became a full member of the EU on May 4, 2004.

[C]

I clearly remember that it was a big event because in addition to Poland, nine other countries joined on the same day. It was the EU's largest expansion.

[B]

I don't know how those other countries have fared, but Poland has been a powerhouse in the eu.

[C]

Well, that might be a bit of an overstatement. I mean, Germany is by far the economic powerhouse in Europe.

[B]

Well, okay, not a German style powerhouse, but not so far off either.

[C]

Oh sure, there's no denying Poland has come a long way economically since 1990.

[B]

Did you know that since 1991, Poland's per capita income has increased from $2,300 to $13,000? And their economy has grown on average of 4% a year. That's a European record.

[C]

4%. Not exactly on par with emerging economies, but impressive nevertheless.

[B]

By emerging economies, who are you referring to?

[C]

Economies like China, Southeast Asia, Braz.

[B]

Sure, those economies may have seen higher growth rates in some years, but at the same time, they have taken huge steps back in other years.

[C]

True enough, a slow and steady approach does have its benefits. So what is Poland's secret? How have they managed this stable economic climb?

[B]

In a word, manufacturing. Unlike economies such as Brazil or Argentina and even Russia to some extent, Poland does not depend on commodity exports. Instead, they have focused more on their manufacturing sector.

[C]

Relying too heavily on exports like oil is quite risky, as everyone can see in Venezuela.

[B]

Exactly. Out of the world's 13 emerging economies, nine of them still rely on commodity exports. The four that don't are all Eastern European economies.

[C]

And?

[B]

And Poland is leading the way. The manufacturing sector in Poland accounts for 33% of their GDP.

[C]

It makes sense. Their labor costs are much lower than Germany's and the Polish currency is relatively weak.

[B]

Both of those conditions help them be more competitive against the likes of China and Southeast Asia in terms of manufacturing.

[C]

Okay, so Poland has benefited from their EU membership and is doing well. What led to this Article 7 business?

[B]

Well, just before we get to that, can you give us a rundown on what Article 7 is? You are the euro expert on the team, after all.

[C]

Article 7 is a mechanism which allows the European Commission to punish a member state who they feel is not meeting fundamental human and legal rights. One of the three pillars the EU is based on. Is that all EU citizens have the same legal rights, regardless of which country they are from.

[B]

It really is a touchy subject because on one hand, each country wants to be able to make their own laws and retain their independence, but on the other hand, it is important that everyone have the same rights.

[C]

It certainly was a big factor in the Brexit decision. One of the Leave campaign's biggest arguments was that the UK was losing its ability to make national decisions, that the European Commission was making decisions they had no right to make.

[B]

And that is what is behind invoking Article 7 against Poland. The European Commission is not happy about recent judicial reforms Poland's right wing government has been implementing. According to the Commission, these reforms make Poland less democratic.

[C]

And is that true?

[B]

Certainly not from the Polish government's point of view. They claim they are simply fulfilling a campaign promise and the Commission is only trying to flex their muscles.

[C]

And where do the Polish people stand on the issue?

[B]

Well, I want to be a little careful here. There have been public protests against the reforms the government is making, but at the same time, people are happy with how economic and immigration policies are being managed. But honestly, it depends on who you ask and which media outlet you believe.

[C]

Do you think there's another EU exit on the horizon?

[B]

I doubt it. Now that Article 7 has been triggered, Poland has three months to address the Commission's accusations. If the Commission is not satisfied, the matter will be put to the other 27 EU countries for a vote. If and only if the 27 countries are in agreement, Poland would lose their voting rights in the eu.

[C]

Oh, a unanimous decision. That's highly unlikely.

[B]

More like impossible. Hungary has already stated they will not vote against Poland.

[C]

You know, rather than the two of us speculating, I'd like to hear from our Polish listeners about all of this. What do they think of the situation?

[B]

Me too. Is the EU out of line triggering Article 7?

[C]

And does the public support the government's judicial reforms?

[B]

So, to all our European listeners, especially if you are from Poland, send us an email, let us know your views.

[C]

But for now, Skip, it's time for us to get D2V down to vocabulary,

[A]

Down to business. English audio scripts are a great learning tool. Be sure to visit the D2B website and download your free audio script of today's podcast, DowntoBusinessEnglish.com. that's www.downtobusinessenglish.com.

[C]

Just before we get into D2V today, we have an announcement to make. Don't we, Skip?

[B]

Yes, we do. D2B members and any listener who is on our mailing list will have already heard about this. But today down to Business English is happy to announce an all new self study product, D2C. Down to communication.

[C]

And can you tell everyone what down to Communication is and how it came about?

[B]

Well one of our D2B executive director members contacted us late last year. He explained that D2B was helping expand his vocabulary and improve his listening comprehension skills, but didn't really help with his fluency. He requested that we create some type of speaking activity based on the words and phrases we discuss here in the D2V section of each episode and the result is down to Communication.

[C]

Down to Communication is a short audio file of the sentences Skip, Samantha and I use in our reports that contain the key words for that episode. The sentences are edited so that you can practice repeating them after us or shadowing what we say.

[B]

Shadowing is a great self study activity that helps you produce English more automatically.

[C]

It is how can listeners get down to Communication Skip?

[B]

First of all you need to be a D2B member. Downtick communication is a members only product and is only available through the D2B website.

[C]

So you can't subscribe in Apple Podcasts or some other podcatcher.

[B]

That's right, it is only available on our website downtobusinessenglish.com new D2C files will be posted within a day or two of each new D2B episode.

[C]

If D2B is posted on a Monday, D2B members can visit the website and download the D2C on Wednesday.

[B]

Yeah, that's right. For those of you who are not members, you can sample down to communication by visiting down2businessenglish.com and clicking on the D2C trial link at the top of the page. If you find it useful in your self studies, become a member and you will get complete access to all new D2C files.

[C]

We hope you find D2C beneficial. OK, shall we get on with vocabulary?

[B]

By all means.

[C]

Let me start off with the verb to trigger which we use several times throughout the report. When you trigger something, you start something or make something happen. In the story I commented that the European Commission had triggered Article 7 against Poland. In other words, the EC had started the process outlined in Article 7.

[B]

You can use this verb when you are discussing the rise and fall of market values.

[C]

A good example would be Bitcoin. Recently there have been media reports that Peter Thiel, the billionaire investor, had invested $15 million in Bitcoin. Those reports triggered the cryptocurrency to jump

[B]

to the $17,000 mark, that is just absurd.

[C]

It is crazy.

[B]

Next up is the idiom to step on one's toes. When you step on someone's toes, you are invading the space they are standing in.

[C]

Not to mention, it would probably be a little painful.

[B]

No doubt so. Idiomatically, when you step on someone's toes, you are getting involved in another person's area of responsibility and probably they are not very happy about it.

[C]

In the story, Skip said he was sorry for stepping on my toes for covering a story on the eu.

[B]

In other words, I was apologizing for preparing a report on a topic that Des is usually responsible for.

[C]

Imagine you're in a sales meeting and your manager looks at you and asks,

[B]

des, in your opinion, why isn't our latest product selling well?

[C]

Well, boss, I don't mean to step on anyone's toes, but in my opinion, the design department let us down. They did not do a very good job and customers are just not interested in this product.

[B]

A classic example of politely blaming someone else. I don't want to step on your toes, Des, but you are up with the next word.

[C]

Yes. Moving on, let's take a look at the noun precursor. A precursor is something that was in existence and then it led to or influenced the creation of the second thing. In the story, I commented that the EEC was the precursor to the European Union.

[B]

In other words, the European Economic Community led to the formation of the European Union.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

Can you give us a business example?

[C]

Well, this might be a little dated, but do you remember MySpace?

[B]

MySpace, absolutely. I remember. That was the big social media platform that everyone used before Facebook.

[C]

That's right. MySpace is still around, but certainly isn't as popular as Facebook or Twitter. However, you can say that MySpace was the precursor to Facebook.

[B]

And I wonder what Facebook is the precursor to.

[C]

I don't know. It's hard to imagine anything coming along and stepping on Facebook's toes at this point. Do you have our next word?

[B]

I do. Next is the phrasal verb to fare well.

[C]

Oh yes. And we must not confuse this two part verb with the interjection farewell, which is synonymous with goodbye.

[B]

No, you shouldn't confuse them. They have the same sound. But the verb is two separate words and the interjection is one word. The verb to farewell communicates that something has had good luck to not farewell means you've had bad luck. In the story, I commented that I was not sure how well other countries in the EU had fared, but Poland had been a powerhouse.

[C]

In other words, Skip wasn't sure how well other economies had performed after joining the eu, but Poland had done very well.

[B]

Des, I didn't ask about your Christmas. How did you fare?

[C]

Oh, I fared pretty well. I got a new Amazon Kindle. How about you? How did you fare?

[B]

I didn't fare that well. I was hoping for new Bluetooth speakers, but in the end only got some clothes. I hope to fare better next year.

[C]

Oh, poor Skip. Finally, today we have the idiom to flex one's muscles. When you flex your muscles, you are literally squeezing your arms or body in order to show how big your muscles are.

[B]

Just imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger showing off his huge arms and chest.

[C]

Yes. So idiomatically, when you flex your muscles, you're showing off just how powerful you are. In the story, Skip reported that as far as the Polish government is concerned, the European Commission only triggered Article 7 to flex their muscles. In other words, to show off how powerful they are.

[B]

In our final episode of last year, we discussed how the new Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had been flexing his muscles as he tried to modernize that country.

[C]

And he continues to do so. On January 1st of this year, the Saudi government started to allow private investors to start buying silver stock in Saudi Aramco. This will have a huge effect on global energy markets and is a precursor to the Saudi economy moving away from oil.

[B]

Are you going to get in on that action, Des? Will you invest in Aramco?

[C]

I'm not sure, but whoever does invest will fare quite well, I believe.

[A]

Would you like to support down to Business English? Be sure to visit the D2B page in iTunes and subscribe to this show. While you are there, why don't you leave a rating and a comment? This will help D2B reach more people wanting to improve their Business English skills. Down to Business English Business News to improve your Business English.

[C]

Thank you for that report on Poland and the eu, Skip. Very informative.

[B]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Des. I hope our listeners did as well. So what topics are coming up in the future on D2B?

[C]

I'm working on a report about the media and fake news.

[B]

Oh, I look forward to that. Well, that's all for today everyone. Don't forget to visit the down to Business English website and check out our new Down To Communication. Our address is downtobusinessenglish.com yes, check it

[C]

out and let us know what you think.

[B]

Thanks for listening everyone. See you next time. Farewell.

[A]

Have a comment or question about today's show? Don't be shy. Visit the D2B website or the Facebook page and post any comments or questions there. Skip Des or Samantha will be sure to leave a Reply Want to get even more down to Business English? Sign up for the D2B Newsletter and receive updates on some of the stories covered on down to business English. That's www.downtobusinessenglish.com down to business English Business News to improve your business English.