| Type of parliamentary body |
Multifunctional |
| Nature |
Permanent |
| Related to chambers |
Sejm
|
| Date of creation |
14 November 2007 |
| Last renewal date |
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| Mandate |
The Constitution provides for the existence of standing committees, as well as for special and investigative committees (created for investigation of particular issues). Standing committees are normally established at the beginning of a legislative term and work to the end of it. The rules of the functioning of the investigative committee are defined by statute.
According to the Standing Orders of the Sejm, the Sejm committees are organs established to: (1) consider and prepare matters under deliberation by the Sejm; (2) express their opinions on matters referred for their consideration by the Sejm, the Marshal of the Sejm or the Presidium of the Sejm. The committees of the Sejm are also supervisory organs of the Sejm, within the scope specified by the Constitution and laws.
The European Union Affairs Committee is a standing committee. It deals mainly with matters related to Poland's membership of the European Union, particularly the taking of a position and expressing an opinion on draft legislative acts of the European Union, on draft international agreements to which the European Union, the European Communities or their Member States are to be the parties, on operational programmes of activities of the Council of the European Union and on annual legislative plans of the European Commission, the formulation of recommendations to the Council of Ministers regarding the position the Council of Ministers is to take during the consideration of the proposal in the Council of European Union, the considering of information and other documents from the Council of Ministers, and also issuing an opinion on proposed candidatures for positions in the European Union bodies.
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| Membership |
The composition of the Committee is determined by the Sejm by virtue of a resolution, adopted on the motion of the Bureau of the Sejm, after obtaining the opinion of the Senior Council. Accordingly, the composition of the Committee reflects the political structure of the Chamber. At present, there are 45 Deputies on the European Union Affairs Committee. They serve for the term of the Sejm. |
| Working methods |
The basic work of the Sejm is performed by parliamentary committees, led by a Chairperson and his vice-chairs, who constitute the committee bureau. They are elected by majority vote from among committee members at the first sitting of the new term. The chairperson convenes committee sittings. The Chair or one of his vice-chairs presides over the debates. The chairperson acts as a moderator of the discussion. After warning Deputy twice to keep to the point under discussion, the Chair may order the speaker to discontinue the speech which deviates from the topic of the Committee's debate.
Attendance at committee sittings is mandatory for ministers and heads of State administrative bodies (or their representatives), whose range of activity encompasses the issues considered at the meeting in question. The bureau of the Committee or its Chair may invite other persons to participate in the sittings, such as representatives of professional and social organizations and experts.
Deputies who are members of other committees may take part in the committee's meetings. They may participate in the discussion and submit motions, but cannot vote. The Chairperson of the Committee may consent to the presence of the press, radio and television journalists. Depending on the topic of the debate, or for other reasons, the Committee may decide to hold an in camera sitting. In such cases, the Committee decides whose presence at the closed sitting is indispensable.
Committee's resolutions are passed by a majority vote with the presence of at least one-third of the statutory number of members. Two or more committees may hold joint sittings presided by one of their chairpersons. In join sittings resolutions are passed by a majority vote, in the required presence of at least one-third of the statutory number of the members of each committee. A committee may establish ad hoc subcommittees, determine their composition and range of activity, and, with the consent of the Bureau of the Sejm, permanent subcommittees.
The sittings of the committees/subcommittees are recorded. Apart from the minutes, which comprise an official record of the debates and the resolutions adopted, the committees issue press releases, which serve as unofficial summaries of the committees' debates.
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| Relations with other parliamentary bodies |
See above. |
| Relations with external bodies |
In general, the committees perform an important role in exercising the Sejm's oversight function. Each of the committees is vested with special powers described in the Standing Orders of the Sejm, according to which the committees examine the reports and information provided by ministers, heads of State administrative bodies and heads of other State offices and institutions. The committees are also competent to analyse the activities of particular departments of the administration and to exercise oversight of the State economy. The Standing Orders of the Sejm oblige all ministers and other State officials to present reports and supply information at the request of a committee bureau, as well as to participate in the sittings of the committees whenever the subject of the debate coincides with matters which lie within the competence of that minister or official. According to the Standing Orders, a committee's bureau or its chairperson may also invite persons other than officials of the State administration for the purpose of presenting information and explanations on issues which are the subject of a particular debate or investigation. Committees may adopt advisory opinions. According to the Standing Orders of the Sejm, an advisory opinion shall contain the committee's postulates regarding particular issues and may be directed to the Council of Ministers or one of its members, the President of the Supreme Chamber of Control and the Public Prosecutor General. The subject of the opinion is not obliged to act in accordance with the committee's postulates. On the other hand, the subject has a duty to respond. The subject must present an opinion as to the contents thereof and inform the Marshal of the Sejm about his or her position in writing no later than 30 days from the day of receiving the opinion, unless the Marshal sets a different deadline at the request of the subject and after consulting the committee bureau. The Standing Orders provide the Marshal of the Sejm with important powers as regards the committees' use of advisory opinion, which are considered an instrument of oversight and inspiration. The committee may also avail itself of another instrument which is slightly different to the advisory opinion, i.e., it has the possibility to adopt a resolution called a recommendation. In accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders of the Sejm, a recommendation shall contain the committee's position on a particular matter. The committee may present a recommendation to the same bodies that receive the advisory opinion, as well as to other central governmental departments and institutions. A recommendation serves the purpose of encouraging, or prompting action, rather than an oversight function, although the committees may ask the subject of recommendation to present views on the issues contained therein. |
| Subjects dealt with |
The European Union Affairs Committee took its position and expressed its opinion on a series of EU legal instruments. |
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
|
PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
|
| Name |
Mr. Andrzej Grzyb |
| Notes |
|
|
SECRETARY
|
| Name |
Ms. Kaja Krawczyk |
| Notes |
Head of the EU Affairs Unit |
| Address (if different from above) |
European Union Affairs Unit, International Affairs Bureau, Chancellery of the Sejm, ul. Wiejska 4/6/8, 00-902 Warsaw (Poland) |
| Phone |
+ 48 22 694 23 23 |
| Fax |
+48 22 625 45 29 |
| E-mail |
kaja.krawczyk@sejm.gov.pl |
| web site: |
|
| Notes |
|
| Name |
Ms. Babinksi Piotr |
| Notes |
Secretary |
| Address (if different from above) |
|
| Phone |
+ 48 22 - 694 21 72 |
| Fax |
+ 48 22 - 694 19 74 |
| E-mail |
piotr.babinski@sejm.pl |
| web site: |
|
| Notes |
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