MAKING LAWS IN CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE Grayling's Guide to Understanding the Process LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE GOVERNMENTAL STAGE PARLIAMENTARY STAGE LOWER HOUSE UPPER HOUSE FINAL ASSENT FINAL REVIEW at least 15 MPs BG CZ HU PL RO RU SK Government Single legislator Group of legislators Parliamen- tary committee Upper House as a whole Regional government 100,000 citizens Referendum President Constitutio- nal Court Supreme Court Who can introduce new legislation? IDEA TO LEGISLATE Any concerned citizen or organisation CONSULTATION PROCESS President‘s office Compulsory social partners (employees & employers) Relevant governmental and parliamentary bodies APPROVAL PARLIAMENTARY STAGE WARNING At this stage, a lot of information is not in the public domain. Negotiations behind closed doors dominate the process across CEE. PL: Office of Sejm Analysis has to give opinion. RO: All draft laws must be submitted for public consultation prior to entering the parliamentary stage. BG CZ HU PL RO RU SK 240 200 199+13 460 396 450 150 23 18 15+1 28 21 30 19 1 C 2 C 3 1 C 2 C 3 C 1 C 1 C 2 1 C 2 C 3 1 C 2 C 3 MEMBERS COMMITTEES 13 nationality advocates - do not vote Committee on Minorites consisting of nationality advocates BG CZ HU PL RO RU SK 81 100 168 170 9 16 20 10 C 1 MEMBERS COMMITTEES C 1 C 1 1 4 C - 1st - 4th reading committee 1 C single reading committee 2 3 4 If MP or group of MPs 2 3 4 1 C C 3 2 1 C C 3 2 C Publication in national compendia of legislation after the Speaker of the House signs it 5 5 President signs the final act within: BG 15 days CZ 15 days HU 5 days PL 21 days RO 20 days RU 14 days SK 15 days Who can initiate a constitutional review? Which country has the most ministries? RU RO PL BG CZ SK HU 22 19 17 17 14 13 9 In Poland, the Office of Sejm Analysis has a special position. It can submit opinions on any draft Act. In all countries which have bicameral legislative, the Lower House is more powerful and receives greater public and media attention. In all CEE countries, work in commitees dominates the process. All parliamentarians are directly elected except Russia's Federation Council (Upper House). All Presidents in the CEE region have veto power. In Hungary, Committee on Legislation has a special role, it discusses and approves the proposed amendments before they reach the plenary discussion. www.parlament.hu sejm.gov.pl senat.gov.pl www.duma.gov.ru www.council.gov.ru www.psp.cz www.senat.cz www.cdep.ro www.senat.ro www.parliament.bg www.nrsr.sk grayling.com twitter.com/GraylingPR linkedin.com/company/grayling [email protected] This infographic was created by Grayling's CEE Public Affairs Practice Group. Grayling is a leading Public Affairs, Government Relations, Public Relations and Event Consultancy. The Company operates from 57 offices in 28 countries worldwide. We have specialist Public Affairs teams across the CEE region and more than 100 businesses and other organisations on the client list. Czech Republic (CZ) Bulgaria (BG) Poland (PL) Romania (RO) Hungary (HU) Slovakia (SK) Russia (RU) LEGEND President Group of 42 senators Group of 99 MPs 500,000 citizens RO HU Government Submitter of the Act Parliament President RU President Government Regional government Group of 90 MPs Group of 34 senators Lower Chamber as a whole Upper Chamber as a whole SK Any person/entity claiming breach of fundamental rights CZ President Group of 41 MPs Group of 17 senators Senate of the Constitutional Court Any entity General Court BG Group of 48 MPs Council of Ministers Ombudsman Supreme Court of Cassation Attorney General Supreme Administrative Court PL President President of the Supreme Administrative Court Marshals of Sejm and Senate Prime Minister Group of 50 MPs Group of 30 senators President of the Supreme Court Prosecutor General President of Supreme Audit Office Ombudsman Regional government Employers and professional orgs. National trade unions Churches and other religious groups National Council of Judiciary 1 1 INSIGHT Who are the most active law makers? BG CZ HU PL RO SK 257 97 178 153 94 112 Approved acts between 1 August 2013 - 1 August 2014 Approved acts between 1 August 2013 - 1 August 2014 Which industries are most impacted by legislation? INSIGHT 31% General Business 24% Financial Sector 14% Services 9% Agriculture 8% Energy 6% Healthcare 5% Industrials 3% ICT