A meeting with representatives of selected professional bodies

On January 17 of this year, the first meeting was convened to discuss the process of conducting public consultations and providing assessment of government documents. Representatives of selected professional bodies were invited to the Chancellery of the Prime Minister:

• Polish National Council of Notaries,
• National Council of Legal Advisors,
• Polish Chamber of Civil Engineers,
• Polish Council of Physiotherapists,
• National Chamber of Polish Architects,
• Supreme Medical Council,
• National Council of Statutory Auditors,
• National Council of Tax Advisors,
• Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives,
• Polish National Veterinary Chamber,
• National Council of Superintendents,
• National Council of Laboratory Diagnosticians,
• Supreme Pharmaceutical Council,
• Supreme Bar Council,
• Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys,
• National Council of Bailiffs.

The government was represented by, among others:

• Minister and Member of the Council of Ministers, Maciej Berek,
• Minister for Civil Society, Chairwoman of the Public Benefit Committee, Agnieszka Buczyńska,
• Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Maciej Miłkowski,
• acting President of the Government Legislation Center, Joanna Knapińska.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Michał Deskur, Deputy Chief of the Chancellery of the Sejm.

Subsequent meetings on public consultation and assessment of government documents will involve representatives from NGOs as well as organizations representing employers and trade unions.

Pre-consultations, working groups and workshops – key demands

Participants of the meeting unanimously stressed that public consultations are one of the most important processes for lawmaking and ensuring its high quality. These consultations should adhere to principles such as: universality, responsiveness, predictability, and respect for the general interest.

The most significant demands presented at the meeting included the reinstatement of pre-consultation working groups or workshops at the outset of the legislative process. It was highlighted that the timing of consultations should be tailored to the substantive nature of the legislation under consideration. Additionally, leveraging new technologies in the consultation process was deemed beneficial and would positively affect the timing of consultations.

The government expressed gratitude for all proposals aimed at enhancing the identification of diverse stakeholder positions, disseminating information about ongoing activities, and fostering increased public acceptance in the lawmaking process.