During the 63rd session, the Sejm adopted 21 laws. It also rejected a vote of no confidence in the head of the Social Committee of the Council of Ministers Beata Szydło and Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy Elżbieta Rafalska.

The new law on bio-components and biofuels provides for the establishment of the Low Emission Transport Fund (FNT) and the introduction of an emission fee to finance projects related to, among others, the development of electromobility in Poland. Funds from the fee are to go to the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in 85 percent and in 15 percent. - to FNT. The act will also allow local governments to create clean transport zones in citieswhere entry of conventionally-powered vehicles may be restricted.

The Sejm amended the bill on the Vistula Spit diversion to comply with the Water Law. According to the amendments, it is the Polish Water Board and not, as it was the case so far, voivodship marshals that are responsible for issuing permits and approvals for water law. The Vistula Spit will be crossed by a trench in Nowy Świat to allow the entrance of vessels with a draught of up to 4 metres.. Ships 100 meters long and 20 meters wide will be able to pass through the canal.

Members voted in favor of an amendment to the public finance law that improves adjustment of Polish law to the EU financial directive of 2011. In accordance with the requirements of the Directive, the draft law requires, inter alia, that in the justification to the draft budget law, data on the general government balance and debt be provided in accordance with the methodology used by EU Member States to report statistical data to the European Commission and the European Statistical Office.

Amendments to the Act on Public Benefit Activity and Volunteerism adopted by the MPs increases from 50 to 80 percent. the possible value of the grant awarded. In the opinion of the Council of Ministers, the introduced solution will make it possible to streamline the implementation of tasks important due to for important public interest, important social interest or necessary for the protection of human life or health.

The Sejm has passed an amendment to the Act on Road Transport adjusting Polish law to the EU regulations. The amendment provides for better oversight of the transport market in Poland and to eliminate unfair competition between carriers as well as to ensure greater protection of the internal market against unfair competition from non-EU carriers. The submitted proposals adjust Polish law to the solutions binding in the EU.

Allowing the pursuit of ownership for dwellings built before 1995.The amendment to the Apartment Ownership Act, which was passed by the Sejm, assumes that the law will be in force. The amendments are to close the legal loophole created after the entry into force of the Act on the National Property Stock.

The new law on tachographs used in road transport to improve the security of the system, increase the efficiency of its control and enforcement of social legislation in road transport. The law is also intended to increase the security of the tachograph system by limiting the manipulation of data recorded by the equipment and to increase the reliability of workshops performing installations, repairs, checks and inspections of tachographs.

An amendment to the law relating to investments in the gas port in Świnoujście, which the House voted for on Wednesday, aims to facilitating the expansion of the gas port and connecting Poland to gas deposits on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The introduced changes are related to the expansion plans of the terminal in Swinoujscie as well as the construction of transmission elements in Poland and the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline.

MPs adopted an amendment to the Law on Renewable Energy Sources. Its aim is to ensure full compliance of the Act of 20 February 2015 with the rules on state aid, to which the Polish side has committed itself to the European Commission. The act is expected to contribute to the efficient use of renewable energy sources (RES), as well as the increased use of agricultural by-products and industries using agricultural raw materials for energy purposes.

The Sejm amended the Pharmaceutical Law, which aims to better protect public health by strengthening the system of supervision over the manufacture and marketing of medicinal products, reduce the export of medicines abroad in order to increase their availability to patients in Poland and better access to new drug therapies.

MPs also amended the law on the National Liberty Institute - Center for Civil Society Development, which will provide funding for the Institute's systemic and organizational changes, as well as allow for the adaptation of the building for its headquarters.

The Sejm gave its consent to the ratification of the Agreement between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Turkey on social security by the President. The agreement aims to solve significant problems of citizens of both countries in the field of social security, as well as to create better conditions for the development of Polish-Turkish economic cooperation. The House also agreed to the ratification by the President of the Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. In the law, the Sejm also gave its consent to the President's ratification of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and the Republic of Armenia. The purpose of the agreement is to strengthen political and commercial cooperation between the EU and Yerevan.

The Law on Trade Unions was amended. Among other things, the law aims to implement the June 2, 2015 Constitutional Court ruling by expanding the scope of the subjective right to form and join trade unions. The amendment introduces the so-called trade union coalition, i.e. the possibility of forming and joining trade unions, which will be available to "employees and persons performing work for remuneration on a basis other than employment relationship". This particularly concerns persons performing work on the basis of civil law contracts.

The Sejm adopted a law on succession management of a natural person's enterprise. The bill will allow sole proprietorships to run smoothly after the death of their owners. One-person company is the most popular form of doing business - such entities constitute about 80 percent of Polish entrepreneurs.

The Sejm has agreed to the ratification by the President of the Agreement establishing the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, which will allow Polish scientists to fully benefit from the research infrastructure of EMBL. Such as employment in the structures of this organization.

The House adopted in a block of votes a package of laws related to the unilateral termination of agreements on the promotion and mutual protection of investments between the Republic of Poland and: Republic of Greece, Kingdom of Spain, Government of the Republic of Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Republic of Austria, Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Croatia, Republic of Hungary, Government of the Kingdom of Sweden and Government of the Republic of Latvia. The existing agreements are being challenged by the European Commission on the grounds that they are incompatible with EU law.

Sejm adopted by acclamation a resolution commemorating the 200th anniversary of the death of General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, outstanding military commander. He was the founder of Polish Legions in Italy, participant of Kosciuszko Insurrection and general of the army of the Duchy of Warsaw. He died on June 6, 1818 in Winna Gora. As the authors of the draft resolution emphasized, the achievements of Gen. Dabrowski, as the founder of the Legions, "caused the return of the Polish cause to the international arena." It was also recalled that the "Song of the Polish Legions in Italy" composed by Jozef Wybicki - called "Dabrowski's Mazurka" - "became the national anthem after the restoration of independence."

Members adopted a resolution on the future shape of EU cohesion policy. The document stresses that it is a key investment policy of the Union and should constitute a significant part of the Union's budget, covering all regions with its geographical scope. Proper support should be given to provinces with the lowest level of development, while GDP should remain the basic indicator of fund distribution. In the resolution, the Sejm expresses its conviction that the EU budget should be structured in such a way that it does not create a multi-speed Europe.

text: Chancellery of the Sejm/ CIS

Photo: K. Białoskórski, R. Zambrzycki/ Sejm