In November 2013 the EU Affairs Committee (SUE) held 8 meetings: 198-205. During these meetings the Committee:

• scrutinised 60 EU documents,
• heard information on Association Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, on the one part, and Ukraine, on the other part (mtg no. 199),
• together with Economic Committee and Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry Committee heard information on Poland's position for the UN Climate Conference (COP 19) and Poland's position on European climate policy goals until 2030, presented by Minister of Environment Marcin Korolec and Undersecretary of State in ME Beata Jaczewska (mtg no. 201),
• heard information on the annual report of the European Court of Auditors on the implementation of the EU budget in 2012, presented by the member of ECA Augustyn Kubik (mtg no. 203).

***

In November 2013 information and documents on SUE meetings no. 192-196, provided by the EU Affairs Committee secretariat, were published in the EDL-S (European Legislative Documents in the Sejm) and IPEX databases.

Social Policy and Family Committee

• 06.11.2013, heard the information on the national operational programme of the European Social Found for the period 2014-2020 (mtg no.130);

Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

• 06.11.2013, considered: the information of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) on Poland's involvement in activities of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in October 2013; the information of the ARD Minister on the implementation of innovations in agriculture in period 2007-2013; the information of the ARD Minister on proposals on innovation in agriculture, included in the legislative package on CAP 2014-2020 (mtg no. 150);
• 07.11.2013, heard (under the procedure specified in Article 157 of the Standing Orders of the Sejm) the information of the Minister of Health and ARD Minister on the state of negotiations on the draft tobacco directive; considered the information of the ARD Minister on the state of preparations for implementation of direct payments for 2013, the type of payments and the amount of financial aid (mtg no. 151);

Administration and Digitization Committee

• 21.11.2013, heard the information on consolidation trends in the telecommunication market in Poland in the context of the implementation of the Digital Agenda for Europe and investments in the Next Generation Networks (mtg no. 50).

• the following acts implementing EU law have been adopted [paper no.]:
  • Act of 22 November 2013 amending the act on manufacturing and bottling of wine products, trade of those products and market organisation [1793],
  • Act of 22 November 2013 amending the act on the protection of animal health and combating infectious animal diseases and some other acts [1698],
  • Act of 8 November 2013 amending some acts concerning the implementation of the Electronic Information Exchange System in the field of Social Security Information on Polish territory [1795],
  • Act of 8 November 2013 amending the act on public finances and some other acts [1789],
  • Act of 8 November 2013 on aliens [1526].
• the following acts implementing EU law have been published [paper no.]:
  • Act of 23 October 2013 amending some acts concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union [1831],
  • Act of 11 October 2013 amending the act on mutual assistance for the recovery of taxes, duties and other receivables [1490].

27-28 November 2013, Vilnius, Parliaments for democracy: towards more ambitious global cooperation, meeting of the chairpersons of the committees on foreign affairs of parliaments of the European Union and the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy
- The European Union Eastern Partnership: towards more ambitious cooperation,
- Democracies in transition: lessons to share.

27 November 2013, Brussels, The implementation challenges of the future Cohesion Policy: towards productive investment for growth and cohesion through improved synergies between local, national and EU level to deliver the EU 2020 strategy, meeting organised by the Committee on Regional Development of the European Parliament
- The future Cohesion Policy - a modernised and result based policy for sustainable growth and jobs in the EU,
- The implementation of the new policy in Member States: what challenges?

24-25 November 2013, Vilnius, Macro-regional strategies: development and prospects, meeting of the chairpersons of the committees on environment protection and the committees on state administration and local authorities
- Significance of the macro-regional strategies in the European Union,
- Environmental dimension of macro-regional strategies,
- Contribution of the EU institutions to the development of macro-regional strategies.

14 November 2013, Brussels, Towards better spending - models of parliamentary scrutiny of expenditure, meeting organised by the Committee on Budgetary Control of the European Parliament
- Expenditure scrutiny models from around the EU,
- Best practice on rules for funds under shared management.

10-11 November 2013, Vilnius, Employment incentives to implement the Europe 2020 strategy, meeting of the chairpersons of the committees on social affairs and labour
- Implementation and development of the EU employment policy guidelines,
- Youth employment and employment initiatives,
- Boosting youth employment.

5 November 2013, Brussels, The future of European Defence: preparations for the December European Council, meeting organised by the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Security and Defence of the European Parliament

NEW ON THE OIDE WEBSITE

In the section Legal and Systemic Issues

The first review of the Transparency Register

In June 2011 the European Parliament and the European Commission have set up a joint Transparency Register for organizations and individuals involved in the development and implementation of EU policy. After 2 years the register must be reviewed and the findings will be presented at the plenary session of the EP before the end of the year.

LATEST DEBATES - COMMENTS

Articles on the current political and economic issues in the EU from the specialist periodicals available on-line (accessed 05.12.2013)

• Brady H.: Whatever happened to the Schengen crisis?, Centre for European Reform, „CER Bulletin" iss. 92, November/October 2013.
• Bąkowski P.: Cyber security in the European Union, European Parliamentary Research Service, „Briefing", 12.11.2013.
• Bertoncini Y.: European Elections : less abstention, more populism?, Notre Europe - Institut Jacques Delors, „Tribune" , 14.11.2013.
• Bertoncini Y.: Foreign Policy and External Actions : an "unsurpassable horizon" for the EU?, Notre Europe - Institut Jacques Delors, „Tribune", 05.11.2013.
• Brady H.: The EU's 'yellow card' comes of age: Subsidiarity unbound?, Centre for European Reform, 12.11.2013.
• Carrera S., Guild E., Hernanz N.: Rule of law or rule of thumb? A New Copenhagen Mechanism for the EU, „CEPS Policy Brief", 20.11.2013.
• Chislett W.: Turkey and the European Union: mixed signals, The Elcano Royal Institute (Real Instituto Elcano), „ARI" no. 45/2013, 27.11.2013.
• D'Alfonso A.: 2014-20 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), European Parliamentary Research Service, „Briefing", 14.11.2013.
• Davies R.: The new European Social Fund for 2014-20, European Parliamentary Research Service, „Briefing", 14.11.2013.
• De Grauwe P., Ji Y.: Strong Governments, Weak Banks, „CEPS Policy Brief", 25.11. 2013.
• Dyner A.: Powileńska strategia UE wobec Białorusi – czas na zmiany, Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 123 (1099), 21.11.2013.
• Gandrud C., Hallerberg M.: Who decides? Resolving failed banks in a European framework, Bruegel, „Bruegel Policy Contribution" iss. 2013/16, 29.11.2013.
• Gros D.: The European Banking Disunion, „CEPS Commentary", 14.11.2013.
• Iso-Markku T.: European Defence Under Scrutiny: What can be expected from the European Council?, The Finnish Institute of International Affairs, „Briefing Paper" no. 145 (2013).
• Katsarova I.: 2014 CAP transitional measures, European Parliamentary Research Service, „Briefing", 14.11.2013.
• Katsarova I.: EU Cohesion Policy 2014-20, European Parliamentary Research Service, „Briefing", 14.11.2013.
• Parkes R.: It's Not Frontex, It's Us: Towards a More Honest EU Borders Debate, Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, „Bulletin PISM" no. 120 (573), 05.11.2013.
• Parmentier F.: Put to the test: the Eastern Partnership and the EU. Perspectives on the Vilnius summit (November 2013), Notre Europe - Institut Jacques Delors, „Policy Paper" 103, November 2013.
• Shapovalova N.: Visa-free travel for the EU's Eastern partners: time to act, FRIDE, „Policy Brief" no. 165, 05.11.2013.
• Smith B.: Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius: carrots v sticks, „Commons Library Standard Note", 26.11.2013.
• Stratulat C.: EU enlargement to the Balkans: shaken, not stirred, European Policy Centre, „Policy Brief", 4.11.2013.
• Worobiow J.: Szczyt Partnerstwa Wschodniego w Wilnie: oferta umowy stowarzyszeniowej z Ukrainą wciąż aktualna, Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 125 (1101), 27.11.2013.