1 July
Summary of the parliamentary dimension of the Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union
The six-month long Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union has come to an end. For the second time since joining the European Union, Poland led the work of the Council and coordinated the activities of all Member States at European level. The signature phrase of this year’s Polish presidency was ‘Security, Europe!’
The Sejm and Senate took an active part in the implementation of the parliamentary dimension of the Presidency, which included a number of important meetings held in Warsaw and Brussels. These events concerned a variety of topics and were attended by various guests, but all of them enabled a free exchange of views and fostered relationships not only between representatives of parliaments of EU Member States, but also between members of
parliaments of candidate and observer states. In a joint speech at the outset of the Polish presidency, Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Holownia and Speaker of the Senate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska pointed out that Poland has taken over the Presidency at a time when the European Union was ‘facing challenges on an unprecedented scale’. Among them, the Speakers listed threats to democracy and international order, the ongoing war across Poland’s eastern border, economic and climate matters, as well as the ongoing migration crisis. They also pointed out that the European community is on the verge of making several strategic decisions on further enlargement.
Furthermore, the Speakers of the Sejm and the Senate pointed out that parliaments ‘are the natural place for discussion of these fundamental matters’.
‘We want inter-parliamentary cooperation to set the tone for debates in the Member States and at the EU level. We firmly believe that the results of these debates will strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the European Union and enable it to face the challenges ahead’, they stated.
Together with the Senate, the Sejm hosted a series of inter-parliamentary meetings. At the January Meeting of the Chairpersons of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union, the attendees highlighted the role of national parliaments in EU policymaking as well as the need for cohesion and effective implementation of climate policies. The meeting also featured a debate on a budget based on EU policies that responds to climate change.
The February meeting of the Europol Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group concerned the monitoring of Europol’s activities, including the fight against organised crime, drug trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children. The attendees also talked about data protection and Europol’s activities related to the war in Ukraine.
The Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy in March brought together representatives of national parliaments and the European Parliament to talk about EU’s foreign policy, security and defence priorities. The participants highlighted the need to develop Europe’s arms industry, strengthen transatlantic cooperation and support Ukraine as the key factors impacting the security of the continent. They also focused on hybrid threats, cyberattacks, disinformation, and protection of critical infrastructure. The event was concluded with a call for closer cooperation between EU and NATO member states and the rapid adaptation of defence structures to the emerging geopolitical challenges.
In March, the Sejm welcomed a delegation from the European Parliament Former Members Association, comprising 31 former MEPs from 12 EU member states and the United Kingdom. The delegation attended a National Defence Committee meeting, which was focused on the priorities and current challenges of the Common Security and Defence Policy.
The next month brought a meeting of the Chairpersons of the Committees on Climate and Energy, which was focused on building a competitive economy based on net-zero energy production, the development of clean technology industries and EU energy security. The topics covered during the meeting also included investments in energy infrastructure as well as the importance of renewable energy sources and hydrogen technologies. The attendees highlighted the need for the strong commitment of the member states to the energy transition and the need to simplify the regulations.
The May meeting of members of parliaments responsible for healthcare in the European Union revolved around three key topics – drug security, the challenges of digital addictions among children and young people, and disease prevention. The attendees also discussed ensuring the quality and availability of medicines in Europe and the need for close cooperation between national and EU authorities. The invited experts emphasised the growing problem of addiction to digital devices among children and youth and the need to include prevention in education. During the meeting, their discussions were focused on the challenges for preventive healthcare in the context of an ageing population and rising healthcare costs.
In June, the Sejm hosted the meeting of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the United States and the Delegation of the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue of the US Congress. This meeting was focused on strengthening transatlantic cooperation in key areas. The first session concerned the state and prospects for EU-US trade relations. Other sessions were devoted to energy security, the challenges of the war in Ukraine and the future of security and defence cooperation.
As part of the events related to the parliamentary dimension of the presidency, a meeting of the heads of administration of EU states’ parliaments and the European Parliament was organised on the initiative of the Head of the Chancellery of the Sejm, Jacek Cichocki. Ewa Polkowska, Head of the Chancellery of the Senate, also participated in this debate. The event concerned artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on its use in the work of parliaments, including legislation to improve and streamline the law-making system, while ensuring its security and transparency.
The key event of the parliamentary dimension of the Polish presidency was the 73rd Plenary Session of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC). The meeting served as an opportunity to summarise the implementation of the priorities of the Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union and as a platform for a debate about the working agenda of the European Commission and the European Parliament in the new institutional opening, the new multiannual financial framework, EU enlargement, and the bolstering of cyber-resilience and the methods of combating disinformation. At the end, the participants adopted the so-called COSAC Conclusions and Contributions, which were shared with all the major EU institutions.
The majority of meetings which took place as part of the parliamentary dimension of the presidency were held in Warsaw, on the premises of the Sejm and Senate. Some of them were held in Brussels, where the European Parliamentary Week took place, which set new attendance records. As part of this event, the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU took place in the European Parliament, which was co-chaired by Poland.
The debates were focused on improving the competitiveness of the EU, strengthening the single market and developing innovation. During the European Parliamentary Week, the Republic of Innovation exhibition was also put on display in the European Parliament. The exhibition showcased Polish inventors, whose discoveries were of major importance for the development of world science and technology. Later, the exhibition was presented in the Sejm.
The debates and meetings organised throughout the first half of 2025 in the Sejm and the Senate focused on the challenges faced by the European Union and Europe. Representatives of the Polish parliament promoted European values such as common security, the rule of law, democracy and mutual trust. Polish scientific achievements, history and culture were also promoted as part of these events.
The events, which brought together several hundred representatives of parliaments from all over Europe, were an important element of the European debate, addressed key areas of European cooperation, and supported the implementation of the Polish presidency’s priorities. The Sejm and the Senate made every effort to ensure that the goal of the Polish presidency expressed in the signature phrase ‘Security, Europe!’ was understood in the broadest way possible, including military, economic, food, information, energy, and health security.
The six-month long Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union has come to an end. For the second time since joining the European Union, Poland led the work of the Council and coordinated the activities of all Member States at European level. The signature phrase of this year’s Polish presidency was ‘Security, Europe!’
The Sejm and Senate took an active part in the implementation of the parliamentary dimension of the Presidency, which included a number of important meetings held in Warsaw and Brussels. These events concerned a variety of topics and were attended by various guests, but all of them enabled a free exchange of views and fostered relationships not only between representatives of parliaments of EU Member States, but also between members of parliaments of candidate and observer states. In a joint speech at the outset of the Polish presidency, Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Holownia and Speaker of the Senate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska pointed out that Poland has taken over the Presidency at a time when the European Union was ‘facing challenges on an unprecedented scale’. Among them, the Speakers listed threats to democracy and international order, the ongoing war across Poland’s eastern border, economic and climate matters, as well as the ongoing migration crisis. They also pointed out that the European community is on the verge of making several strategic decisions on further enlargement.
Furthermore, the Speakers of the Sejm and the Senate pointed out that parliaments ‘are the natural place for discussion of these fundamental matters’.
‘We want inter-parliamentary cooperation to set the tone for debates in the Member States and at the EU level. We firmly believe that the results of these debates will strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the European Union and enable it to face the challenges ahead’, they stated.
Together with the Senate, the Sejm hosted a series of inter-parliamentary meetings. At the January Meeting of the Chairpersons of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union, the attendees highlighted the role of national parliaments in EU policymaking as well as the need for cohesion and effective implementation of climate policies. The meeting also featured a debate on a budget based on EU policies that responds to climate change.
The February meeting of the Europol Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group concerned the monitoring of Europol’s activities, including the fight against organised crime, drug trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children. The attendees also talked about data protection and Europol’s activities related to the war in Ukraine.
The Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy in March brought together representatives of national parliaments and the European Parliament to talk about EU’s foreign policy, security and defence priorities. The participants highlighted the need to develop Europe’s arms industry, strengthen transatlantic cooperation and support Ukraine as the key factors impacting the security of the continent. They also focused on hybrid threats, cyberattacks, disinformation, and protection of critical infrastructure. The event was concluded with a call for closer cooperation between EU and NATO member states and the rapid adaptation of defence structures to the emerging geopolitical challenges.
In March, the Sejm welcomed a delegation from the European Parliament Former Members Association, comprising 31 former MEPs from 12 EU member states and the United Kingdom. The delegation attended a National Defence Committee meeting, which was focused on the priorities and current challenges of the Common Security and Defence Policy.
The next month brought a meeting of the Chairpersons of the Committees on Climate and Energy, which was focused on building a competitive economy based on net-zero energy production, the development of clean technology industries and EU energy security. The topics covered during the meeting also included investments in energy infrastructure as well as the importance of renewable energy sources and hydrogen technologies. The attendees highlighted the need for the strong commitment of the member states to the energy transition and the need to simplify the regulations.
The May meeting of members of parliaments responsible for healthcare in the European Union revolved around three key topics – drug security, the challenges of digital addictions among children and young people, and disease prevention. The attendees also discussed ensuring the quality and availability of medicines in Europe and the need for close cooperation between national and EU authorities. The invited experts emphasised the growing problem of addiction to digital devices among children and youth and the need to include prevention in education. During the meeting, their discussions were focused on the challenges for preventive healthcare in the context of an ageing population and rising healthcare costs.
In June, the Sejm hosted the meeting of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the United States and the Delegation of the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue of the US Congress. This meeting was focused on strengthening transatlantic cooperation in key areas. The first session concerned the state and prospects for EU-US trade relations. Other sessions were devoted to energy security, the challenges of the war in Ukraine and the future of security and defence cooperation.
As part of the events related to the parliamentary dimension of the presidency, a meeting of the heads of administration of EU states’ parliaments and the European Parliament was organised on the initiative of the Head of the Chancellery of the Sejm, Jacek Cichocki. Ewa Polkowska, Head of the Chancellery of the Senate, also participated in this debate. The event concerned artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on its use in the work of parliaments, including legislation to improve and streamline the law-making system, while ensuring its security and transparency.
The key event of the parliamentary dimension of the Polish presidency was the 73rd Plenary Session of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC). The meeting served as an opportunity to summarise the implementation of the priorities of the Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union and as a platform for a debate about the working agenda of the European Commission and the European Parliament in the new institutional opening, the new multiannual financial framework, EU enlargement, and the bolstering of cyber-resilience and the methods of combating disinformation. At the end, the participants adopted the so-called COSAC Conclusions and Contributions, which were shared with all the major EU institutions.
The majority of meetings which took place as part of the parliamentary dimension of the presidency were held in Warsaw, on the premises of the Sejm and Senate. Some of them were held in Brussels, where the European Parliamentary Week took place, which set new attendance records. As part of this event, the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU took place in the European Parliament, which was co-chaired by Poland
The debates were focused on improving the competitiveness of the EU, strengthening the single market and developing innovation. During the European Parliamentary Week, the Republic of Innovation exhibition was also put on display in the European Parliament. The exhibition showcased Polish inventors, whose discoveries were of major importance for the development of world science and technology. Later, the exhibition was presented in the Sejm.
The debates and meetings organised throughout the first half of 2025 in the Sejm and the Senate focused on the challenges faced by the European Union and Europe. Representatives of the Polish parliament promoted European values such as common security, the rule of law, democracy and mutual trust. Polish scientific achievements, history and culture were also promoted as part of these events.
The events, which brought together several hundred representatives of parliaments from all over Europe, were an important element of the European debate, addressed key areas of European cooperation, and supported the implementation of the Polish presidency’s priorities. The Sejm and the Senate made every effort to ensure that the goal of the Polish presidency expressed in the signature phrase ‘Security, Europe!’ was understood in the broadest way possible, including military, economic, food, information, energy, and health security.
