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30 April 2021
EUROPEAN DEBATES IN THE SEJM
On 20 April 2021, the Sejm accepted the information on the Republic of Poland's participation in the activities of the European Union in July-December 2020 (German Presidency of the Council of European Union) - resolution . The information was earlier debated in plenary with participation of the Minister for EU Affairs, Konrad Szymański (verbatim record/PL point 25).
EU DOCUMENTS IN THE SEJM

In April 2021 the EU Affairs Committee (SUE) held 7 meetings, no. 58-64, via electronic means of distance communication. During these meetings the Committee:

  • pursuant to Art. 7(4) of the Cooperation Act, considered:
    • proposal for a regulation of the EP and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/816 establishing a centralised system for the identification of Member States holding conviction information on third-country nationals and stateless persons (ECRIS-TCN) to supplement the European Criminal Records Information System and Regulation (EU) 2019/818 on establishing a framework for interoperability between EU information systems in the field of police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration and amending Regulations (EU) 2018/1726, (EU) 2018/1862 and (EU) 2019/816 for the purpose of introducing a screening of third country nationals at the external borders (COM(2021) 96) together with the draft position of the Republic of Poland [mtg no. 58],
    • proposal for a directive of the EP and of the Council to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms (COM(2021) 93) together with the draft position of the Republic of Poland [mtg no. 59],
    • proposal for a regulation of the EP and of the Council on a framework for the issuance, verification and acceptance of interoperable certificates on vaccination, testing and recovery to facilitate free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic (Digital Green Certificate) (COM(2021) 130) together with the draft position of the Republic of Poland [mtg no. 63],
    • proposal for a regulation of the EP and of the Council on a framework for the issuance, verification and acceptance of interoperable certificates on vaccination, testing and recovery to third-country nationals legally staying or legally residing in the territories of Member States during the COVID-19 pandemic (Digital Green Certificate) (COM(2021) 140) together with the draft position of the Republic of Poland [mtg no. 63],
  • pursuant to Art. 151(1) of the Sejm Standing Orders and Art. 3(2) of the Cooperation Act, considered:
    • proposal for a regulation of the EP and of the Council on a Single Market For Digital Services (Digital Services Act) and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (COM(2020) 825) together with the draft position of the Republic of Poland – adoption of the conclusions [mtg no. 58],
    • proposal for a regulation of the EP and of the Council on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector (Digital Markets Act) (COM(2020) 842) together with the draft position of the Republic of Poland – adoption of the conclusions [mtg no. 58],
    • report from the Commission to the EP and the Council on EAGF expenditure: Early Warning System No 11-12/2020 (COM(2021) 43) together with the Government position [mtg no. 58],
    • Green Paper on ageing. Fostering solidarity and responsibility between generations (COM(2021) 50) together with the Government position [mtg no. 59],
    • joint communication to the EP and the Council: The EU's Cybersecurity Strategy for the Digital Decade (JOIN(2020) 18) together with the Government position [mtg no. 59],
    • information from the Council of Ministers on the European Council meeting on 25-26 March 2021 [mtg no. 60],
    • report from the Commission: 2020 report on the State of the Energy Union pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 on Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action (COM(2020 950) together with the Government position [mtg no. 62],
    • report from the Commission: Energy prices and costs in Europe (COM(2020) 951) together with the Government position [mtg no. 62],
    • report from the Commission to the EP and the Council on progress of clean energy competitiveness (COM(2020) 953) together with the Government position [mtg no. 62],
    • communication from the Commission: Trade Policy Review - An Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy (COM(2021) 66) together with the Government position [mtg no. 63],
  • according to the proposal of the Committee Bureau, didn't raise any comment to the following EU documents:
    • pursuant to Art. 7(4) of the Cooperation Act – to 6 draft legislative acts: COM(2021) 71, 85, 95, 108, 113, 115 [mtg no. 58],
    • pursuant to Art. 8(2) of the Cooperation Act – to 27 draft legal acts: COM(2021) 63, 65, 74, 87, 104, 111, 112, 114, 116, 119 [mtg no. 58], COM(2021) 125, 127, 132, 138 [mtg no. 61], COM(2021) 136, 137, 145, 147, 150, 151, 152, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 [mtg no. 63],
    • pursuant to Art. 151(1) of the Sejm Standing Orders and Art. 3(2) of the Cooperation Act – to 32 documents: COM(2021) 67, 69, 70, 75, 77, 79, 82, 86, 88, 90, 91, 92, 94, 98, 100, 101, 103, 105, 109, 110, 117, 118, JOIN(2021) 3, 5, 6, SWD(2021) 57 [mtg no. 58], COM(2021) 126, 129, 139 [mtg no. 61], COM(2021) 141, 142, 144 [mtg no. 63],
  • pursuant to Art. 18(4) of the Cooperation Act, considered the information on legislative work related to the implementation of EU directives, for which the time limit for implementation has expired or will expire within 3 months of the presentation of such information (as at 3 March 2021) [mtg no. 61],
  • heard the information from the Minister of Climate and Environment on the work on the EU's and country's fora in the scope of climate policy [mtg no. 64].

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In April 2021 information on and documents of SUE meetings no. 58-64, provided by the EU Affairs Committee secretariat, were published in the EDL-S (European Legislative Documents in the Sejm) and IPEX databases.

 
WORK IN COMMITTEES
Energy, Climate and State Assets Committee
  • 30.04.2021, information of the Minister of State Assets and the Minister of Finances, Funds and Regional Policy on the details of the proposed National Recovery and Resilience Plan in the scope of energy and climate (mtg no. 39)
Digitalisation, Innovation and New Technologies Committee
  • 28.04.2021, information on the results of the Smart Growth Operational Programme in terms of supporting innovation of Polish businesses (mtg no. 30)
Education, Science and Youth Committee together with Economy and Development Committee
  • 28.04.2021, hearing of the information on which of the proposals presented during the public consultations were taken into account in the component A "Resilience and competitiveness of the economy" of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (mtgs no. 58 and 37)
National Defence Committee
  • 14.04.2021, considering the information of the National Defence Minister and the Foreign Affairs Minister on the defence initiatives carried out in the framework of the EU and regional military cooperation (mtg no. 28)
Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry Committee
  • 23.04.2021, presentation by the Minister of Climate and Environment of the summary of public consultations regarding components of the environment and climate protection in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, especially for the component B "Green energy and reducing energy consumption" as well as the component E "Green, smart mobility" (mtg no. 49)
Agriculture and Rural Development Committee
  • 13.04.2021, considering the information on the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for agriculture sector (mtg no. 42) 
SUBSIDIARITY CHECK IN NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS

According to the information from IPEX database as of 10 May 2021, 12 draft legislative acts were subject to subsidiarity scrutiny in April 2021. The national parliaments submitted no reasoned opinion on the non-compliance of the scrutinised draft acts with the subsidiarity principle.

ALL REASONED OPINIONS OF NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS IN IPEX
INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION

21 April 2021, 18th meeting of the presidents of parliaments of the Visegrád Group countries, videoconference

  • Prospects for combating the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Current security issues in the region in the context of digital security, information security and hybrid threats
  • Exchange of views on the topics on the agenda of the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments (May 10, 2021)
    • Digitalisation and the changing public sphere – risks and opportunities for representative democracy
    • Revised report on enhanced interparliamentary cooperation through modern technology
    • Report by the working group on updating the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation (IPC) guidelines

13 April 2021, Interparliamentary Conference on Covid-19: Health impact and social effects, videoconference

  • Welcome and opening remarks
  • Session I - Fighting the Covid-19 pandemic: how to enable a stronger European health policy?
  • Session II - Social and labour impact of the pandemic on employment
  • Session III - European Pillar of Social Rights: implementing the Pillar and strengthening health systems