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28 February 2017
EUROPEAN DEBATES AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE SEJM
24 February 2017 - the Sejm accepted the information on the Republic of Poland's participation in the activities of the European Union in July-December 2016, during the Slovak Presidency of the EU Council - resolution. The information was earlier debated in plenary on 10 February 2017, with participation of the Secretary of State in Foreign Affairs Ministry, Konrad Szymański (verbatim record/PL, p. 24).

9 February 2017 - the Sejm heard information of the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the tasks of the Polish foreign policy in 2017 and held the debate (verbatim record/PL, p. 17).

EU DOCUMENTS IN THE SEJM

In February 2017 the EU Affairs Committee (SUE) held 7 meetings: no. 108-114. During these meetings the Committee:

  • scrutinised 66 EU documents:
    • pursuant to Art. 7(4) of the Cooperation Act – 18 EU draft legislative acts concerning i.a.: risk-preparedness in the electricity sector; macro-financial assistance to Moldova or European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS),
    • pursuant to Art. 151(1) of the Sejm Standing Orders and Art. 3(2) of the Cooperation Act – 33 EC documents (7 communications, 19 reports, 2 joint communication, 1 joint report, 1 decision, 1 proposal for a regulation, 1 proposal for a directive and 1 proposal for a decision) concerning i.a., implementation of the circular economy action plan; European Research Area; operationalisation of the European Border and Coast Guard,
    • pursuant to Art. 11(1) of the Cooperation Act – EU documents, which were to be discussed by Competitiveness Council, Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council and Environmental Council,
    • pursuant to Art. 8(2) of the Cooperation Act – 8 EU draft legal acts concerning i.a., prolonging temporary internal border control in exceptional circumstances putting the overall functioning of the Schengen area at risk; mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund or application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the area of the Schengen Information System in the Republic of Croatia,
  • scrutinized: information on the results of the European Council meeting held on 3 February 2017; information on the Foreign Affairs Council meeting planned for 6 March 2017 and information on the European Council meeting planned for 9-10 March 2017. Information was presented by Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Konrad Szymański (mtg no. 114).

***

In February 2017 information on and documents of SUE meetings no. 108-113, provided by the EU Affairs Committee secretariat, were published in the EDLS (European Legislative Documents in the Sejm) and IPEX databases.

WORK IN COMMITTEES
Foreign Affairs Committee
  • 08.02.2017, took note of the information on the Minister of Foreign Affairs' exposé theses (Brexit conditions, two-speed Europe, plans for the EU reform, amending the Treaties, redefinition of the European institutions, assistance to refugees) (mtg no. 57);

Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

  • 23.02.2017, took note of the information of the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the competitiveness of the production of tobacco in the EU internal market (mtg no. 155);
  • 23.02.2017, took note of the information of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) on perspectives of development of the beet sugar market for Polish farmers' taking into account the competitiveness of beet sugar production in the internal market of the EU (mtg no. 155);
    09.02.2017,
    considered the information of the Minister of ARD on the financing of the CAP in the framework of national support instruments and the EU budget (mtg no. 119);
    09.02.2017,
    considered the information of the Minister of ARD on the implementation of the Rural Development Programme for 2014-2020, with due account of changes (mtg no. 119);
    08.02.2017,
    considered the information of the Minister of ARD and Minister of the Development and Finance on the plans and proposals for CAP and the Cohesion Policy changes after 2020 (mtg no. 117);
  • 08.02.2017, considered the information of the Minister of ARD concerning the public consultation on the CAP after 2020 conducted by the European Commission (mtg no. 117);
    08.02.2017,
    considered the information of the Minister of ARD on changes in the system of direct payments related to the process of the UK leaving the EU (mtg no. 117);

Digitalisation, Innovation and New Technologies Committee

  • 08.02.2017, considered the information on the development of e-government and information society in the light of the Central Statistical Office and the Ministry of Digitalization. In the presentantion, the results were compared with the last year's EC's report on digital progress in the EU (DESI index), which briefly shows the digital development of the EU (mtg no. 48);

Infrastructure Committee

  • 09.02.2017, appointed the standing subcommittee on the monitoring of use of the EU founds for infrastructure (mtg no. 64);
  • 08.02.2017, considered the information of the Supreme Audit Office on the control results of the Long-Term Railway Investment Programme within the EU financial perspective  2007-2013 (mtg no. 62);

Economy and Development Committee, Local Government and Regional Policy Committee and Health Committee

  • 22.02.2017, discussed methods of the EU funds accounting used by entrepreneurs operating in the health care, who will not be included in the so-called network of hospitals (GOR mtg no. 61, STR mtg no. 98, ZDR mtg no. 63).
IMPLEMENTATION OF EU LAW - UST DATABASE

In February 2017 the following bill implementing EU law has been referred to the first reading [paper no.]:

  • Government bill on working time on inland waterway vessels [1321].
SUBSIDIARITY CHECK IN NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS

Subsidiarity scrutiny in February
(Information from IPEX database as of 02.03.2017)

Draft legislative act Deadline for subsidiarity
scrutiny
Adoption / transmission of reasoned opinion Chamber / parliament (country)
COM(2016) 755 06.02.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 757 06.02.2017  -  -
COM(2016)778 09.02.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 786 09.02.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 788 09.02.2017   - -
COM(2016) 723 08.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 731 14.03.2017   - -
COM(2016) 750 10.03.2017    -  -
COM(2016) 759 08.03.2017  - -
COM(2016) 789 27.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 811 09.03.2017  - -
COM(2016) 815 09.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 818 02.03.2017  - -
COM(2016) 821 14.03.2017  21.02.2017 / -  National Assembly
(France)
COM(2016) 822 20.03.2017   21.02.2017 / - National Assembly
(France)
COM(2016) 823 20.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 824 20.03.2017   - -
COM(2016) 825 09.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 826 31.03.2017   - -
COM(2016) 850 24.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 851 21.03.2017   - -
COM(2016) 852 21.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 853 08.03.2017   - -
COM(2016) 854 15.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 856 30.03.2017   - -
COM(2016) 862 08.03.2017  -  -
COM(2016) 863 06.04.2017   - -
COM(2017) 10 12.04.2017  -  -
COM(2017) 11 15.03.2017   - -
COM(2017) 14 13.03.2017  -  -
COM(2017) 38 29.03.2017   - -
COM(2017) 47 17.04.2017  -  -
COM(2017) 54 03.04.2017   - -
ALL REASONED OPINIONS OF NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS IN IPEX

In February 2017, 33 draft legislative acts were subject to subsidiarity scrutiny. As of 2 March 2017, the national parliaments submitted 2 reasoned opinions on the non-compliance of the scrutinised draft acts with the subsidiarity principle.

INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION

28 February 2017, Brussels, Interparliamentary Committee Meeting on "The third reform of the Common European Asylum System - up for the challenge"

  • Opening remarks
  • Session I: Challenges related to the Common European Asylum System (contributions, debate with representatives of National Parliaments and EP, conclusions)
  • Session II: Ensuring access to asylum and fair distribution of asylum seekers in the EU (interventions, debate with representatives of National Parliaments and EP, conclusions)
  • Session III: The safe countries of origin and the safe third country concept - experiences from the Member States (interventions, debate with representatives of National Parliaments and EP, conclusions)
  • Workshops (Prevention of trafficking in human beings; Administrative cooperation between Member States authorities under Dublin: what works?; Legal assistance and alternatives to detention during the asylum procedure: exchange of good practices from Member States)
  • Session IV: Protection of children in migration (interventions, debate with representatives of National Parliaments and EP, conclusions)
  • Closing session
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European Parliament on EU's future; General revision of the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure - 8th term

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