In May 2015 the EU Affairs Committee (SUE) held 5 meetings: no. 333-337. During these meetings the Committee:

• scrutinised 45 EU documents:
  
  • pursuant to Art. 7(4) of the Cooperation Act – 8 EU draft legislative acts concerning i.a. trade in certain steel products between the EU and the Republic of Kazakhstan, multiannual recovery plan for Bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean or possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the use of genetically modified food and feed on their territory,
  • pursuant to Art. 151(1) of the Sejm Standing Orders and Art. 3(2) of the Cooperation Act – 11 European Commission documents (6 reports, 2 joint reports, 1 communication, 1 joint consultation document and 1 joint communication) concerning i.a. experience gained in the implementation of directive on the control of high-activity sealed radioactive sources and orphan sources, the implementation of regulation on the export of cultural goods: 1.01.2011-31.12.2013 or Progress on the implementation of the common approach on EU decentralised agencies,
  • pursuant to Art. 11(1) of the Cooperation Act – EU documents, which were to be discussed by Competitiveness Council,
  • pursuant to Art. 8(2) of the Cooperation Act – 20 EU draft legal acts concerning i.a. designating the European Capitals of Culture for the year 2019 in Bulgaria and Italy, the mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund or the position to be taken by the EU in the EU-EFTA Joint Committee on common transit as regards the adoption of a Decision amending the Convention on a common transit procedure,
• gave a positive opinion on the candidates for the members of the EU Committee of Regions for 2015-2020 (complement of the Polish delegation, opinion no. 64 with annex),
• held the first reading of Government bill on the ratification of the Association Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Central America, on the other, drawn up in Tegucigalpa on 29.06.2012 (paper no. 3289, mtg no. 333),
• heard information on the results of the European Council summit held on 23 April 2015, presented by the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rafał Trzaskowski (mtg no. 334),
• heard information on the revision of European Neighborhood Policy, presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Grzegorz Schetyna (mtg no. 336),
• together with Public Finance Committee and Economic Committee heard information on recommendations for Poland concerning the implementation of the European Semester in 2015; information was presented by Grażyna Henclewska, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economy and Artur Radziwiłł, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Finance (mtg no. 337).

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In May 2015 information on and documents of SUE meetings no. 334-336, provided by the EU Affairs Committee secretariat, were published in the EDL-S (European Legislative Documents in the Sejm) and IPEX databases.

Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry Committee and Local Government and Regional Policy Committee

• 14.05.2015, considered and accepted the reply of the Ministry of the Environment on desideratum no. 2/6 on the participation of provincial funds for environmental protection and water management as instruments implementing the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment under the 2014-2020 financial perspective (EPNRFC – mtg no. 178, LGRPC – mtg no. 342);

Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

• 13.05.2015, continued to consider the information of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Minister of Health on the state of implementation of the Directive 2014/40/EU of 03.04.2014, the so-called tobacco directive, and adopted desideratum to the Prime Minister regarding this matter (mtg no. 256);
• 14.05.2015, held the first reading and considered the Government bill on financing of the common agricultural policy, paper nr 3365 (mtg no. 258);
• 27.05.2015, considered the amendment proposed during the second reading of the bill on financing of the common agricultural policy, paper no. 3365 and 3403 (mtg no. 260);

Justice and Human Rights Committee

• 14.05.2015, heard the information of the President of the Supreme Audit Office on using the EU funds on tasks related to the computerization of the prosecutor's office  (mtg no. 238).

• the following bills implementing EU law have been referred to the first reading [paper no.]:
  • Government bill amending the act the law on copyright and related rights and the Law on Gambling [3449],
  • Government bill amending the act on protection of foreigners on the territory of the Republic of Poland and some other acts [3433],
  • Government bill amending the act on rail transport and the act on public transport [3427],
  • Government bill amending the act on maritime safety act and some other acts [3369].
• the following acts implementing EU law have been adopted [paper no.]:
  
  • Act of 27 May 2015 on the financing of the common agricultural policy [3365],
  • Act of 27 May 2015 amending the act on recycling of end-of-life vehicles and some other acts [3033],
  • Act of 27 May 2015 amending the act on obligations to provide information on energy consumption through energy-using products and some other acts [3323],
  • Act of 15 May 2015 amending the act on the Law on Copyright and Related Rights [3293],
  • Act of 15 May 2015 amending the act on the functioning of cooperative banks, their affiliations and affiliated banks and some other acts [3150],
  • Act of 15 May 2015 on substances that deplete the ozone layer and on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases [3106],
  • Act of 15 May 2015 amending the act on construction products and the act - Construction law [2493].
• the following acts implementing EU law have been published [paper no.]:
  • Act of 20 March 2015 amending the act on chemical substances and mixtures thereof [3149],
  • Act of 20 March 2015 amending the act on forests and some other acts [3147].

28-29 May 2015, Brussels, Interparliamentary Committee Meeting "Democratic oversight of intelligence services in the European Union"
- The repercussions on intelligence oversight of a rapidly changing world
- Upcoming challenges for oversight bodies – changing nature of security threats and rapid technologic developments
- Fostering cooperation and exchange of best practices between intelligence oversight bodies in the EU
- The role of national committees of inquiry and oversight committees in a globalized world

13-14 May 2015, Warsaw, Meeting of the of the EU Affairs Committees of the parliaments of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
- Russia's aggression in Ukraine: Implications for geopolitics and energy security of the EU
- Eastern Partnership summit, Riga, 21-22 May 2015
- Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – EU position in world trade. Is TTIP good for Europe?

11-12 May 2015, Lisbon, Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly – Union for the Mediterranean
- Meeting of committees
- Meeting of the Bureau and the Enlarged Bureau (chairpersons of the committees and working groups)
- Opening of the plennary session - Immigration, asylum and human rights in the Euro-Mediterranean Region
- Presentation of the activities of UfM
- Presentation and approval of the PA-UfM Committees' recommendations
- Declaration of the PA-UfM Second Summit of Speakers
- Handover of the PA-UfM Presidency to Morocco

11 May 2015, Lisbon, Summit of Speakers of the Union for the Mediterranean Parliaments
- Immigration,  asylum  and  human  rights  in  the  Euro-Mediterranean  Region
- Adoption of the declaration of the summit

5 May 2015, Brussels, Interparliamentary Committee Meeting "The Review of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Outlook at the June 2015 European Council on Defence"
- The Review of the European Neighbourhood Policy
- Outlook at the June 2015 European Council on Defence
- Expert hearing on the security situation in Libya

ON THE OIDE WEBSITE

In the section OIDE Notes

European Agenda on Migration, European Agenda on Security

Following sections have been updated

Bibliographies: The national parliaments' position in the EU under the Lisbon Treaty, National parliaments in the EU - new publications

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LATEST DEBATES - COMMENTS

 Selected articles on the current political and economic issues in the EU from the specialist periodicals available on-line (accessed 03.06.2015)

• Borońska-Hryniewiecka K., Stormowska M., Toporowski P.: Brexit Just a Bugaboo: Unraveling the British EU "Wish List", „PISM Strategic File" no. 10 (73), Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych.
• Dhéret C., Morosi M.: One year after the Youth Guarantee: Policy fatigue or signs of action?, „Policy Brief", European Policy Centre, 27.05.2015.
• Drachenberg R., Bakowski P.: Outcome of the extraordinary European Council of 23 April 2015, „Briefing", European Parliament - European Parliamentary Research Service, May 2015.
• Dröge S., Geden O.: The EU and the Paris Climate Agreement. Ambitions, Strategic Goals, and Tactical Approaches, „SWP Comment" 2015/C 29, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, May 2015.
• Emerson M.: Britain's Political Earthquake: What aftershocks for Europe and the UK?, „Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 11.05.2015.
• Fischer S., Geden O.: Limits of an »Energy Union«. Only Pragmatic Progress on EU Energy Market Regulation Expected in the Coming Months, „SWP Comment" 2015/C 28, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, May 2015.
• Giovannini A., Marengo U.: Boosting TTIP Negotiations: A Value Chain Approach, „IAI Working Paper" iss. 15/18, Istituto Affari Internazionali, May 2015.
• Gostyńska A.: A ten-point plan to strengthen Westminster's oversight of EU policy, Centre for European Reform, May 2015.
• Gros D.: TRAC: A market-based tax on capital flight as an alternative to Grexit, „Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 07.05.2015.
• Halleux V.: The EU Strategy for the Danube Region, „Briefing", European Parliament - European Parliamentary Research Service, May 2015.
• Henningsen J.K.: The Emission Trading Scheme reform: will the Commission's proposal save the system?, „Policy Brief", European Policy Centre, 29.05.2015.
• Hedberg A., Morosi M.: Keeping health high on the EU agenda: role for economic governance?, „Policy Brief", European Policy Centre. 07.05.2015.
• Landaburu E.: Neighbourhood policy: more or no more?, „Tribune",Jacques Delors Institute, 27.05.2015.
• Lang K.O., Lippert B.: EU Options on Russia and the Eastern Partners. "Cooperative Confrontation" as the Guiding Principle beyond the Riga Summit, „SWP Comment" 2015/C 32, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, May 2015.
• Maselli I., Beblavý M.: The case for a European unemployment benefit scheme, „Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 19.05.2015.
• Myant M.: Junker's investment plan: What results can we expect?, „European Policy Analysis" iss. 2015:10, Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, May 2015.
• Orav A.: Smart Borders package, „At a glance", European Parliament - European Parliamentary Research Service, 29.05.2015.
• Parry M.: EU Civil Protection Mechanism, „Briefing", European Parliament - European Parliamentary Research Service, May 2015.
• Pascouau Y., Vitorino A.: The EU's migrant strategy: a welcome new impetus, „Tribune", Jacques Delors Institute, 19.05.2015.
• Paul A.: The Eastern Partnership Riga Summit should not be a non-event, „Commentary", European Policy Centre, 20.05.2015.
• Shreeves R.: Towards a new EU gender equality strategy, „At a glance", European Parliament - European Parliamentary Research Service, 29.05.2015.
• Steinberg F., Vermeiren M.: The limits to German power in the Eurozone, „ARI" 25/2015, Elcano Royal Institute, 11.05.2015.
• Szczepański M.: Digital Single Market for Europe, „At a glance", European Parliament - European Parliamentary Research Service, 13.05.2015.
• Pascouau Y., Vitorino A.: The EU's migrant strategy: a welcome new impetus, „Commentary", European Policy Centre, 19.05.2015.
• Wilson A.: European Energy Security Strategy, „At a glance", European Parliament - European Parliamentary Research Service, 29.05.2015.