Chapter 13a
EUROPEAN UNION AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Article 148a
1. The European Union Affairs Committee, "hereinafter in this chapter called the "Committee", shall be composed of no more than 46 members.
2. At the time of appointment of the Committee, and subject to para. 7, its composition shall proportionally reflect the representation in the Sejm of clubs and of alliances composed of at least 15 Deputies.
3. The Presidium of the Sejm shall determine the number of members a club belonging to the Committee in the following way:
(a) by working out the coefficient as the quotient of the number of members of a given club [caucus] and 460, within a thousandth of a decimal point of accuracy,
(b) by multiplying the coefficient by 46, within a tenth of a decimal point of accuracy,
(c) by rounding off the product referred to in subpara. (b) to the nearest whole number, according to general rules.
4. Upon the division of seats in the Committee between the clubs, the remaining seats shall be allotted to alliances of no less than 15 Deputies, applying as appropriate the rules laid down in para. 3.
5. The Presidium of the Sejm shall notify clubs or alliances about the division of seats conducted in accordance with the rules referred to in paras.3 and 4.
6. The clubs and alliances shall propose to the Presidium of the Sejm their candidates to the committee in the numbers, and within a time limit, established by the Sejm Presidium.
7. In the event that no candidates to the Committee have been nominated by a club or an alliance, within the time limit referred to in para. 6, or if the number of candidates proposed exceeds the number determined by Presidium of the Sejm under paras. 3 or 4, the seats available to them shall remain vacant.
8 The Sejm shall adopt, on the motion of the Presidium of the Sejm, a resolution on the selection of a composition of the European Union Affairs Committee, by a joint vote.
9. In the event referred to in para. 7, and also in the event that the number of candidates nominated by a club or an alliance is lower than the number determined by the Presidium of the Sejm under paras. 3 or 4, the clubs or alliances may complete the composition of the Committee within a time limit other than that referred to in para. 6. In such event, the Sejm shall hold a selection to complete the composition of the Committee. The provision of para. 8 shall not apply.
10. If the event that the number of members of a club or alliance has changed to a degree causing, on account of the principles referred to in paras. 3 or 4, a change in the division of seats in the Committee, or in the event of establishing a new club or alliance, the Sejm shall conduct a new selection of composition of the Committee. The provisions of paras. 3-9 shall apply as appropriate. The Sejm resolution on the selection of a new composition of the European Union Affairs Committee shall be tantamount to the dismissal of its previous composition.
11. In the event of appointment of a new composition of the Committee, referred to in para. 10, the members of the presidium of the Committee to have been reappointed to the Committee shall hold on to their functions.
12. The Presidium of the Sejm shall, at the request of a club or an alliance, present to the Sejm its proposals of changes in the composition of the Committee, consisting in replacement of a member of the Committee with another person belonging to the same club or alliance. The provision of para. 9 shall not apply to a vote on proposals of changes in the composition of the Committee.
Article 148b
1. On receipt of the following, the Marshal of the Sejm shall immediately refer them to the Committee:
(1) information from the Council of Ministers about the participation of the Republic of Poland in the work of the European Union,
(2) documents of the European Union, which are subject to consultation with Member States, and their appraisal by appropriate institutions or other European Union bodies,
(3) operational programmes of activities of the Council of European Union, the European Commission’s annual legislative plans and appraisals of annual legislative plans made by the European Parliament and the Council of European Union
(4) European Union’s legislative proposals,
(5) information from the Council of Ministers about the progress in proceedings aimed at making EU legislation, and about the positions taken by representatives of the Council of Ministers in the course of those proceedings,
(6) information from the Council of Ministers about the position the Council of Ministers intends to take during the consideration of in the Council of European Union, together with the statement of the Council of Ministers’ reasons, and also with the evaluation of legal consequences of a given legislative act for the Polish system of law and of social and economic consequences, and financial implications for the Republic of Poland,
(7) draft international agreements to which the European Union, the European Communities or their Member States are to be the parties,
(8) draft decisions by representatives of the governments of the Member States, gathered in the Council of European Union,
(9) draft acts of the European Union which have no legal effect, particularly proposals for guidelines adopted in the sphere of economic and monetary union and in that of employment,
(10) European Union acts important to the interpretation or application of the European Union law,
(11) proposals for candidatures for seats of a member of the European Commission, a member of the Court of Auditors, judges of the European Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance, members of the Economic and Social Committee, members of the Committee of the Regions, a director in the European Investment Bank, directors general and their deputies in the European Commission, and a representative of the Republic of Poland to the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the European Union,
(12) other documents related to the subject matter of the activity of the European Union Affairs Committee.
2. When referring documents to the Committee, the Marshal of the Sejm shall establish, taking into account the time limits set in separate regulations, the schedule of the Sejm work on:
(1) documents of the European Union, which are subject to consultation with Member States,
(2) legislative proposals of the European Union,
(3) information from the Council of Ministers about the positions the Council of Ministers intends to take during the consideration of the proposal in the Council of European Union,
(4) proposals of candidatures for posts, referred to in para. 1, subpara. 11, in those European Union bodies in which Poland is represented.
3. With regard to matters referred to in para. 2, the failure by the Committee to comply with the time limits established in the schedule of the Sejm’s work shall close the proceedings in the case.
Article 148c
1. The Committee may adopt an opinion on the information from the Council of Ministers about the position the Council of Ministers intends to take during the consideration of the proposal in the Council of European Union.
2. The opinion shall include the Committee’s position on the matter, expressed in the form of either acceptance or nonacceptance of the position of the Council of Ministers. In such an opinion, the Committee may formulate recommendations to the Council of Ministers.
Article 148d
In instances where, in a vote taken at a sitting of the Committee, the votes cast are equal in number, the casting vote on adoption or rejection of the resolution shall be taken by the chairperson of the Committee, unless he/she has taken a decision to abstain.Article 148e
In the event that proceedings conducted by the Committee have not been concluded before the end of the term office of the Sejm, such proceedings may be conducted by the Committee appointed by the Sejm of the next term of office.