In January 2017 the EU Affairs Committee (SUE) held 5 meetings: no. 103-107. During these meetings the Committee:

• scrutinised 78 EU documents:
  • pursuant to Art. 7(4) of the Cooperation Act – 11 EU draft legislative acts concerning i.a.: specific measures to provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters; administrative cooperation and combating fraud in the field of value added tax; integrated farm statistics,
  • pursuant to Art. 151(1) of the Sejm Standing Orders and Art. 3(2) of the Cooperation Act – 54 EC documents (20 communications, 31 reports and 3 proposals for directives) concerning i.a.: the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II); implementation of EU macro-regional strategies or improving and modernizing education,
  • pursuant to Art. 11(1) of the Cooperation Act – EU documents, which were to be discussed by Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Economic and Financial Affairs Council and General Affairs Council,
  • pursuant to Art. 8(2) of the Cooperation Act – 9 EU draft legal acts concerning i.a. the conclusion of Framework Agreement between EU and  and its Member States and Australia on suspending the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on certain agricultural and industrial products,
• issued a positive opinion on the candidature of Szymon Pawelec for the position of the judge of the General Court of the EU in the period 2016-2022 (opinion no. 18, mtg no. 105),
• considered Government's information on the Republic of Poland's participation in the activities of the European Union in the period July-December 2016 during Slovak Presidency (paper no. 1215, mtg no. 105),
• met with the Ambassador of the Republic of Malta Natasha Meli Daudey and heard information on the programme of Maltese Presidency of the EU Council; met with the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic Dušan Krištofík and heard information on the results of the Slovak Presidency of the EU Council (mtg no. 107).

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In January 2017 information on and documents of SUE meetings no. 103-106, provided by the EU Affairs Committee secretariat, were published in the EDL-S (European Legislative Documents in the Sejm) and IPEX databases.

Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

• 26.01.2017, took note of the information on the poultry market prospects for Polish farmers on the domestic market and on the competitiveness factors of the Polish poultry on the EU internal market (mtg no. 114);
• 25.01.2017, took note of the information of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) on the progress of work on the delimitation of ANCs in Poland (areas facing natural or other specific constraints). Under the Regulation of the EP and of the Council no 1305/2013 of 12.17.2013 member states should implement the new delimitation at the latest in 2018 (mtg no. 112);
• 25.01.2017, took note of the information of the Minister of ARD on cereals market in Poland and in the EU and on the competitiveness of the Polish market on the internal market of the EU (mtg no. 112);

Digitalisation, Innovation and New Technologies Committee

• 24.01.2017, considered information on the progress of implementation of the Programme of Integrated Informatization of State and the revision of the National Interoperability Framework (mtg no. 114);

Infrastructure Committee

• 11.01.2017, issued a positive opinion on the request of the Committee Bureau on the appointment of a permanent sub-committee in charge of monitoring the use of EU funds for infrastructure (mtg no. 58).

• the following bills implementing EU law have been referred to the first reading [paper no.]:
  
  • Government bill on mortgage credit and on the supervision of mortgage credit intermediaries and agents [1210],
  • Government bill amending the act on the prevention of pollution from ships and some other acts [1194],
  • Government bill amending the Act - Penal Code and some other acts [1186],
• the following acts implementing EU law have been published [paper no.]:
  
  • Act of 15 December 2016 amending the act on accounting  [1045],
    
  • Act of 2 December 2016 on marine equipment [951].

In January 2017, 33 draft legislative acts were subject to subsidiarity scrutiny. As of 9 February 2017, the national parliaments submitted 2 reasoned opinions on the non-compliance of the scrutinised draft acts with the subsidiarity principle.

* In December 2016 the reasoned opinions were submitted to the documents COM(2016) 683,COM(2016) 685, COM(2016) 686 and COM(2016) 687 - see the previous Biuletyn OIDE – December 2016.

31 January - 1 February 2017, Brussels, European Parliamentary Week 2017

• European Semester
  • Plenary session: Policy priorities of the 2017 European Semester cycle
  • Plenary session: EMU redux: how to shape a genuine Economic and Monetary Union?
  • Interparliamentary committee meetings (ICM)

ICM organised by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON):
- Session 1: Panama Papers, Bahamas leaks: which follow-up did national Parliaments give to the revelations? Which lessons can be learned?
- Session 2: Banking Union, Capital Markets Union and the EU Single Market for financial services

ICM organised by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL):
- Session 1: The mobility of workers and the importance of labour migration
- Session 2: European Pillar of Social Rights - next steps after the consultation

ICM organised by the Committee on Budgets (BUDG):
- More transparent, simple, fair and democratically accountable ways to finance the EU: Follow up of the final recommendations of the high-level group on own resources

• Interparliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union (IPC SECG)
  • Plenary session: Stocktaking of the implementation of the “Fiscal compact” - exchange of views on best practices
  • Plenary session: Towards a more comprehensive and coordinated social dimension in the EMU - exchange of views
  • Plenary session: Towards benchmarking of national reforms fostering sustainable growth and jobs - exchange of views on best practises
  • Plenary session: The role of financial assistance programmes and the European Stability Mechanism in safeguarding the stability of the euro - exchange of views

22-23 January 2017, Valletta, Meeting of the Chairpersons of COSAC

• Meeting of the Presidential Troika of COSAC
• Opening of the meeting, welcome address, introductory remarks, adoption of the agenda
• Session 1: Priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU, debate
• Procedural issues and miscellaneous matters (briefing on the outcome of the meeting of the Presidential Troika of COSAC, draft agenda for the LVII COSAC, outline of the 27th Bi-annual Report of COSAC, letters received by the Presidency)
• Session 2: Discussion on the European Commission Work Programme 2017, debate
• Closing remarks

NEW ON THE OIDE WEBSITE

In the section Interparliamentary cooperation

Calendar of parliamentary events 2017

Following sections have been updated

OIDE Notes: European Semester - course of coordination cycle at the level of the Union and Poland (2011-2017)

Bibliographies: BREXIT - selected publications (since 2016), The national parliaments' position in the EU under the Lisbon Treaty, National parliaments in the EU - since 2015

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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 01.02.2017)

• Bassot É.: Ten issues to watch in 2017, „Analiza", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 26.01.2017.
• Bassot E., Hiller W.: The Juncker Commission's ten priorities: State of play at the start of 2017, „ Analiza", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 12.01.2017.
• Biscop S.: A strategy for Europe's neighbourhood: keep resilient and carry on?, „ARI" no. 4/2017, The Elcano Royal Institute, 16.01.2017.
• Borońska-Hryniewiecka K.: Konsekwencje zmiany na stanowisku przewodniczącego Parlamentu Europejskiego, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 2 (1444), Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, 09.01.2017.
• Bouchet N.: : The 2016 Elections in the United States: Effects on the EU-US Relationship,  „Analiza", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 17.01.2017.
• Carrera S., Guild E.: Offshore processing of asylum applications: Out of sight, out of mind?, „CEPS Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 27.01.2017.
• Cox R.: Europe must take control of its own destiny in 2017, „Europe's world", 26.01.2017.
• Delivorias A., Sapala M., Stuchlik A.: Economic and budgetary outlook for the European Union 2017, „ Badanie", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 27.01.2017.
• Duvillet-Margerit A.C.: Completing the Banking Union - Risk Sharing Initiatives and Parallel Risk Reduction Measures, „Briefing", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 17.01.2017.
• Duvillet-Margerit A.C.: European Stability Mechanism – Main Features, Oversight and Accountability, „Briefing", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 17.01.2017.
• Garben S., Kilpatrick C., Muir E.: Towards a European Pillar of Social Rights: upgrading the EU social acquis, „BEEP briefing" no. 17, College of Europe, January 2017.
• Gros D.: Can the EU survive in an age of populism? „CEPS Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 09.01.2017.
  • Guild E., Carrera S., Luk N. Ch.: The integration of immigrants and legal paths to mobility to the EU: Some surprising (and encouraging) facts, „CEPS Commentary", Centre for European Policy Studies, 25.01.2017.
• Keatinge P.: Finding Our Bearings: European Security Challenges in the Era of Trump and Brexit, Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA),16.01.2017.
• Kotanidis S.: Wybór przewodniczącego Parlamentu Europejskiego, „W skrócie", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego,10.01.2017.
• Menace terroriste et crise des réfugiés : c'est ensemble que la France et l'Allemagne pourraient relever les défis, Think Tanks Tandem, 20.01.2017.
• Nancy J.: Major changes in European public opinion regarding the EU, „Badanie", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 23.01.2017.
• Ragonesi I. C.: Maltese presidency aims to make the ordinary extraordinary, Europe's world, 19.01.2017.
• Raik K.: The collapse of the Western consensus would condone aggression and further erode the European security order, „FIAA Comment" 211 (2016), Finnish Institute of International Affairs, 25.01.2017.
• Szymańska J.: Martin Schulz kandydatem SPD na kanclerza – implikacje dla Niemiec, UE i relacji polsko-niemieckich, „Biuletyn PISM" nr 11 (1453), Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych, 31.01.2017.
• Waechter M.: Beyond populism: Why the European Union needs to engage into identity politics, „Policy Paper", n° 47/2017, Centre International de Formation Européenne.

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BREXIT

• Barbone L., Green M., Speckesser S., Broughton A.: Brexit Implications for Employment and Social Affairs: Facts and Figures, Study for the FMPL Committee, 16.01.2017.
• Barrow M.: Brexit: devolved legislature business, „Briefing Paper" no. 7815, House of Commons Library, 23.01.2017.
• Biscop S. : European defence after Brexit: Flying on one engine?, „In Commentaries", Royal Institute for International Relations – EGMONT, 17.01.2017.
• Ó'Ceallaigh D.: Brexit: A Status Report, Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), 20.01.2017.
• Dehousse F.: What if Mrs May had a strategy for Brexit,and her divided opponents had not ?, „In Commentaries", Royal Institute for International Relations – EGMONT, 17.01.2017.
• Duff A.: How Europe sees Brexit, „Discussion paper", European Policy Centre , 24.01.2017.
• Grant Ch.: May is weak in Europe but strong at home, „Bulletin" iss. 112, Centre for European Reform, February 2017.
• Haas J., R. Eulalia: Brexit and the EU budget: threat or opportunity?, „Policy paper", Notre Europe - The Jacques Delors Institute, 25.01.2017.
• Keohane Daniel: Three's company? France, Germany, the UK and European defence post-Brexit, „ARI" no. 1/2017, The Elcano Royal Institute, 05.01.2017.
• Madelin R.: Trade challenges: beyond Brexit, „E!Sharp", January 2017.
• McGuinness T., Hawkins O.: Brexit: what impact on those currently exercising free movement rights? „Briefing Paper" no. 7871, House of Commons Library, 19.01.2017.
• Miller V., Lang A.; Caird J. S.: Brexit: how does the Article 50 process work? , „Briefing Paper" no. 7551, House of Commons Library, 16.01.2017.
• Miller V., Gorb S.: Legislating for Brexit: Statutory Instruments implementing EU law, „Briefing Paper" no. 7867, House of Commons Library, 16.01.2017.
• Miller V., Lunn J. Lang A.: Treaty negotiations: when has the Government published its position? , „Briefing Paper" no. 7823, House of Commons Library, 19.01.2017.
• Najy C.:, Breidlid J.: Plan B after Brexit – What Britain can expect negotiating a Swiss-type arrangement with the EU, „European Policy Briefs", EGMONT, Royal Institute for International Relations, No. 44, June 2016.
• Novak P.,Cremades M. T.: Brexit and the European Union: General Institutional and Legal Considerations, „ Badanie", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego , 25.01.2017.
• Pernice I.: European Constitutionalism and the National Constitutions of the Member States: Brexit – an Opportunity for European Integration, WHI Paper, 01/2017.
• Pye S., Mathieu C., Deane P.: The Energy Implications of Brexit, 017, Institut francais des relations internationals, January 2017.
• Rittelmeyer Y.-S.: Will Brexit revive the Franco-German engine?, „Policy Brief", European Policy Centre , 26.01.2017.
• Theresa May's Brexit Speech of 17 January 2017 – Decoding its clarity and ambiguity, „Ceps Policy Insights", no 1, Centre for European Policy Studies, January 2017.
• Tyler G.: Brexit reading list: economic, business and transport policy issues , „Briefing Paper" no. 7830, House of Commons Library, 18.01.2017.
• Wyles J.: Mindless optimism masks dangerous lack of preparation for Brexit, 10.01.2017.

   ***

EU CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES

Selected articles and papers
(available in the Sejm Library or on-line, accessed 01.02.2017)

• Alemanno A., Pech L.: Thinking justice outside the docket: A critical assessment of the reform of the EU'S court system, „Common Market Law Review" vol. 54 (2017), iss. 1, p. 129-175.
• Borlini L.: Regulating Criminal Finance in the EU in the Light of the International Instruments, „Yearbook of European Law", January 2017.
• O'Brien Ch.A.: Court of Justice. The ECJ sacrifices EU citizenship in vain: Commission v. United Kingdom, „Common Market Law Review" vol. 54 (2017), iss. 1, p. 209-243.
• Elo R.: Involvement of the National Parliaments in SCPs and NRPs – 2014, 2015 and 2016, „Badanie", Biuro Analiz Parlamentu Europejskiego, 10.01.2017.
• Karatzia A.: The European Citizens' Initiative and the EU institutional balance: On realism and the possibilities of affecting EU lawmaking, „Common Market Law Review" vol. 54 (2017), iss. 1, p. 177-208.
• Varga Z.: National remedies in the case of violation of EU law by Member State courts, „Common Market Law Review" vol. 54 (2017), iss. 1, p. 51-80.