In March 2014 the EU Affairs Committee (SUE) held 8 meetings: 234-241. During these meetings the Committee:

• scrutinised 81 EU documents,
• adopted opinion no. 50 concerning draft decision of the EP and the Council  concerning the market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme, COM(2014) 20 (mtg no. 235),
• heard information on the EU priorities for 2014-2020 in the field of civil liberties, justice and internal affairs, presented by Secretary of State in Ministry of the Interior Piotr Stachańczyk and Undersecretary of State in Ministry of Justice Michał Królikowski (mtg no. 237),
• heard information on the EC initiative that aims to facilitate the free movement of persons in the EU through better coordination of social security systems, presented by Undersecretary of State in Ministry of Labour and Social Policy Marek Bucior (mtg no. 241).

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In March 2014 information and documents on SUE meetings no. 234-236 and 238-240, provided by the EU Affairs Committee secretariat, were published in the EDL-S (European Legislative Documents in the Sejm) and IPEX databases.

 Public Finances Committee

• 12.03.2014, considered the information on recommendation for a Council recommendation with a view to bringing an end to the situation of an excessive government deficit in Poland (COM(2013) 906 final) and recommendation for a Council decision establishing that no effective action has been taken by Poland in response to the Council recommendation of 21 June 2013 (COM(2013) 907 final) together with draft Government's positions concerning these documents (mtg no. 316);

Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee

• 12.03.2014, heard the information of the Minster of Sport and Tourism on the European Commission activities to promote tourism (mtg no. 113);
• 19.03.2014, heard the information of the Minster of Sport and Tourism on the "Erazmus+" programme in the field of sport (mtg no. 115);

Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

• 13.03.2014, adopted desideratum no. 22 addressed to the Prime Minister regarding maximum levels for contaminants in foodstuffs in connection with the Commission regulation (EU) no. 835/2011; heard the information of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on the issues discused on the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 17 February 2014 (mtg no. 178).

• the following bills implementing EU law have been referred to the first reading [paper no.]:

• Government bill amending the act on accounting [2245],
• Government bill amending the act on batteries and accumulators and some other acts [2244],
• Government bill amending the act on granting protection to aliens within the territory of the Republic of Poland and some other acts [2243],
• Government bill amending the act on monitoring and controlling the quality of fuels and amending the act on biofuel components and liquid biofuels [2087].

• the following acts implementing EU law have been adopted [paper no.]:

• • Act of 21 March 2014 amending the act on biofuel components and liquid biofuels and some other acts [2051],
  • Act of 14 March 2014 amending the act on supplementary supervision of credit institutions, insurance undertakings, reinsurance undertakings and investment firms in a financial conglomerate and some other acts [2050],
  • Act of 14 March 2014 amending the act - Road Traffic Law and some other acts [1991].
• the following acts implementing EU law have been published [paper no.]:

• • Act of 7 February 2014 amending the act on the tax on goods and services and some other acts [2095],
  • Act of 24 January 2014 amending the act on Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture [2000],
  • Act of 7 February 2014 on participation of foreign officers or workers in common operations or common rescue actions on the territory of the Republic of Poland [1066].

In March 2014, 20 draft legislative acts were subject to subsidiarity scrutiny. As of 1 April 2014 national parliaments submitted no reasoned opinions on the non-compliance of these draft acts with the subsidiarity principle.

19 March 2014, Brussels, Joint Committee Meeting: Future priorities in the field of civil liberties, justice and home affairs
- Developing an EU internal security strategy and enhancing police cooperation - What future for Europol?
- Developing the EU's immigration and asylum policy - How to deal with the on-going crisis in the Mediterranean?
- Fundamental rights for EU citizens in the digital era - Reinforcing data protection and shielding EU citizens against electronic mass surveillance.

16-17 March 2014, Athens, Meeting of Chairpersons of the Committees on Production, Trade and Maritime Affairs
- Blue Growth: Building the Blue Economy,
- Connecting Europe - EU Transport Policy: a vehicle for growth and jobs,
- SMEs: Facilitating access to financing.

5 March 2014, Brussels, Interparliamentary Committee Meeting: International Women's Day 2014. Preventing violence against women - a challenge for all
- Experiences and legislation at national/regional level,
- Which Strategic Action at the European level - Ideas for the way forward.

ON THE OIDE WEBSITE

In the section Legal and Systemic Issues

• European citizens' initiative
  On 19 March 2014 the EC has adopted a communication (COM(2014) 177) referring to the proposals submitted by the signatories of the „Right2Water" Initiative - first European Citizens' Initiative which has complied with the requirements set out in regulation of the EP and Council no. 211/2011.
• European Parliament elections 2014
  On 27 March 2014 the EC has published a communication in which it analyses implementation of recommendations on the organization of EP elections by Member States, as well as national and European political parties.
• Debate on EU priorities within the area of freedom, security and justice for the period 2015-2019
  Information on the debate conducted in the framework of preparation for the adoption by the European Council in June 2014 of a multi-annual programme setting out priorities in the area of ​​freedom, security and justice.
• The EU Justice Scoreboard
  On 17 March 2014 the EC has published the second EU Justice Scoreboard. EC took into account new data, obtained within the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary and pilot field studies on the functioning of national courts for the application of consumer and competition law rules. EC noted also discussion on the first EU Justice Scoreboard, including results of the conference held in November 2013 and resolution of the EP of February 2014, as well as conclusions adopted by the EU Council on March 2014.
• Eastern Partnership, European semester - new documents were added

In the section EU Information

• Changes in information sources, Guides on EUROPA portal - information concerning the launch of the complete new version of the EUR-Lex database has been supplemented and updated

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EUROPEAN ELECTIONS 2014

(accessed on 04.04.2104)

• Ruiz de Garibay D.: The 2014 elections to the European Parliament: towards truly European elections?, "Analisis of the Real Instituto Elcano" no. 17/2014, Real Instituto Elcano, 19.03.2014.
• The European Parliament: it has to do with you, "European Policy Briefs", EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations, 26.03.2014.
• Theys M.: Vingt-huit scrutins nationaux pour un Parlement en constante evolution, "European Policy Briefs" no. 26, EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations, 22.03.2014.
• Lehmann W.: The European Elections: EU Legislation, National Provisions and Civic Participation, "Study", European Parliamnet - Directorate General For Internal Policies, 14.03.2014.

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LATEST DEBATES - COMMENTS

Articles on the current political and economic issues in the EU from the specialist periodicals available on-line (accessed 04.04.2014)

• Andoura S., Bössner S.: What new Climate and Energy Package for the EU?, "Tribune", Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute, 13.03.2014.
• Biscop S.: The summit of our ambition? European defence between Brussels and Wales, "Security Policy Brief" no. 50, EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations, March 2014.
• Blockmans S.: EU-Turkey Relations: Turning vicious circles into virtuous ones, "Policy Brief", Centre for European Policy Studies, 26.03.2014.
• Böttger K.: Time to hit the reset button: "The Eastern Partnership after the Vilnius Summit and the Role of Russia", "TEPSA Policy Paper", Trans European Policy Studies Association, 19.03.2014.
• Cîrlig C.: Turkey: the 2013 progress report and beyond, "Plenary at a glance", European Parliamentary Research Service, 06.03.2014.
• D'Alfonso A.: Discharge procedure for the EU budget. Political scrutiny of budget implementation, "Briefing", European Parliamentary Research Service, 18.03.2014.
• d'Oultremont C.: Re-designing the European Climate and Energy policies post-2020, "European Policy Brief" No. 29, EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations, March 2014.
• Emmanouilidis J.: Historic turning point or just another chapter? The results of a foreign-policy summit - Post-Summit Analysis, "Post-Summint Analisis", European Policy Centre, 24.03.2014.
• Erbach G.: EU climate and energy policies post-2020, Energy security, competitiveness and decarbonisation, "Briefing", European Parliamentary Research Service, 24.03.2014.
• Faleg G.: Common Security and Defence in 2014: Revise and resubmit, "Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 27.03.2014.
• Guild E., Carrera S., Parkin J.: What role for migration policy in the Ukraine crisis?, "Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 28.03.2014.
• Herolf G.: Security and Defence – an Issue for the European Citizen?, TEPSA Policy Paper, Trans European Policy Studies Association, March 2014.
• Ivan P.: EU's sanctions against Russia – The need for clear goals, "Commentary", European Policy Centre, 21.03.2014.
• Kaca E.: Unijny pakiet pomocy dla Ukrainy: jak zwiększyć jego skuteczność?, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 25 (1137), Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, 05.03.2014.
• Kościński P., Zasztowt K.: Secesja Krymu – konsekwencje dla Ukrainy, Rosji i Europy, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 31 (1143), Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych,14.03.2014.
• Mańko R.: Personal data protection package, "Plenary at a glance", European Parliamentary Research Service, 06.03.2014.
• Puka L.: Polityka energetyczna Unii Europejskiej po 2020 r. – miejsce dla przemysłu?, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 34 (1146), Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, 20.03.2014.
• Tokarski P.: Problemy Parlamentu Europejskiego z oceną działań trojki podczas kryzysu w strefie euro, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 40 (1152), Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, 28.03.2014.
• Vanden Bosch X., Verhelst S.: What future for the eurozone? Combining discipline, solidarity and institutional reforms, "European Policy Briefs", EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations, 22.03.2014.
• Westphal K.: Russian Energy Supplies to Europe. The Crimea Crisis: Mutual Dependency, Lasting Collateral Damage and Strategic Alternatives for the European Union, "Comments" 2014/C 16, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, March 2014.
• Zuleeg F.: A more effective structure for the Commission, "Commentary", European Policy Centre, 07.03.2014.