Poland

SejmSenate

Senate

Openness and transparency

Information about access to parliamentary documents, parliament’s reporting to the public, parliament’s relation to Freedom of Information laws, and lobbying.

Parliamentary documents

The agendas of plenary meetings are published online in advance The agendas of plenary meetings are published online in advance.
The agendas of committee meetings are published online in advance The agendas of committee meetings are published online in advance.
Results of votes on draft legislation are published on the parliamentary web site Results of votes on draft legislation are published on the parliamentary web site.
Draft legislation is published on the parliamentary website Draft legislation is published on the parliamentary website.
Citizens can submit comments on draft legislation on the parliamentary web site

Annual reporting by parliament

Parliament publishes an annual report on its activities
Notes Some parliaments publish monthly/quarterly reports.
Some statistical data on basic Sejm activities, broken down annually, are published on the. parliaments website.
https://www.sejm.gov.pl/Sejm9.nsf/page.xsp/prace_sejmu
Parliament publishes the parliamentary budget
Level of detail of the parliamentary budget made available to the public Level of detail of the parliamentary budget made available to the public: Only the total amount; A summary of the main elements; The complete budget
A summary of the main elements
The parliamentary budget is available on the parliamentary web site
Yes

Access to parliament

Plenary meetings are open to the public
Notes
Public admission to a sitting is organized by the Office for Citizen Relations. Access is limited by the capacity of the visitor’s gallery: 18 seats with priority given to the media.
Committee meetings are open to the public
Notes
Committee chairmen (…) can invite experts, representatives of groups and organizations interested in the subject of a committee's work and other persons to attend the sittings (Art. 60.6).
There is a dedicated channel for broadcasting parliamentary meetings A dedicated channel is one that is mainly about parliament, and is accessible free of charge to the general public. The channel might be owned by Parliament or a public or private company. Dedicated channels may be broadcast by parliament, government, or another broadcaster. They may be carried on television, radio or the Internet (webcasting).
Media used for the dedicated channel
Webcast
Meetings broadcast on the dedicated channel
Plenary sittings
Committee meetings

Freedom of information

There is a freedom of information law in the country
Yes
Parliament is subject to the freedom of information law
Parliament has an office/division dedicated to FOI requests
Yes
Categories of Information that are exempt from disclosure Certain categories of information may be exempt from disclosure
The Access to Public Information Act of 6 September 2001, available in the Journal of Law (Dziennik Ustaw) 2020, item 2176) as amended, provides exemptions via Article 5 for classified information and other secrets protected by law, and the privacy of a natural person or business secret, though restrictions do not apply to information on persons performing public functions related to their work and those who have waived their right.
In general, the right to public information shall be limited to the extent and on the terms specified in the provisions on mandatory restructuration.

https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WDU20200002176/T/D20202176L.pdf

Pursuant to the Constitution, limitations on the right to obtain information may be imposed by statute solely to protect the freedoms and rights of other persons or entities, public order, security or important economic interests of the State (Constitution, art. 61).

Lobbying

There are rules about the activities of lobbyists in parliament
Source
Act of 7 July 2005 on Lobbying Activities in the Law-making Process, consolidated text in Dziennik Ustaw [Journal of Law] 2017, item 248: https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WDU20170000248/O/D20170248.pdf

Standing Orders of the Sejm (Articles 201b, 201d, 70b(2)), consolidated text in Official Gazette “Monitor Polski” 2021, item 483 as amended: https://oide.sejm.gov.pl/oide/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14798&catid =7#1
There is a register of accredited lobbyists
The register of accredited lobbyists is available on the parliamentary web site
Yes