Visits at the Court

2024

3-5 March 2024 

4 October 2023

Warsaw. On 4^th October 2023 the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) was visited by a group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Romania, Portugal, Spain and Italy staying in Poland within the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) internship exchange programme. The visit was organised in cooperation with the Polish member of the EJTN - the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution (KSSiP). The group was received by dr Mirosław Gdesz – judge of the Voivodship Administrative Court (VAC) in Warsaw delegated to the General Administrative Chamber of the SAC, Marek Szwed-Lipiński – judicial assistant in the General Administrative Chamber and Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut - chief specialist in Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

During the meeting the organisation of the administration of justice and administrative courts in Poland, the constitutional position and jurisdiction of administrative courts, the model of administrative and administrative court proceedings and the organisational structure of the SAC and VAC was presented. Also the information on the judicial dialogue with the Court of Justice of European Union in the context of the preliminary ruling procedure and on the international contacts of the SAC, including relations with councils of states and supreme administrative courts of other EU countries, CJEU and European Court of Human Rights and memberships in international associations and networks of supreme administrative jurisdictions was provided. The guests also visited the exhibition on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022).

6 September 2023

Warsaw. On 6 September 2023 a group of current and former research assistants of the Federal Administrative Court of Germany (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) – currently holding positions as judges at the administrative courts in Berlin, Karlsruhe, Koblenz, Mannheim, Oldenburg, Stuttgart and the regional court in Leipzig – as well as civil servants at the Ministry of Justice, Democracy, Europe and Equality of Saxony in Dresden visited the Supreme Administrative Court. The visit was organised as a part of bilateral cooperation between the Polish Supreme Administrative Court and the Federal Administrative Court of Germany and as a part of study visit of the group to the state authorities and non-governmental organisations. The meeting was hosted by: SAC judge Marian Wolanin – Deputy Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau and the representatives of the Chancellery of the President of the SAC – chief specialists: prof. dr hab. Wojciech Piątek and Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut. During the meeting, among others, general issues concerning Polish administrative and administrative court proceedings and the organisation of the work of the Supreme Administrative Court, the Europeanisation of administrative judiciary, the international cooperation of the Supreme Administrative Court and the challenges facing Polish administrative judiciary in the near future have been discussed. The guests took part as an audience in hearings in the 4^th Division of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw in cases regarding foreigners, among others international protection and held a meeting with the President of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw – SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and the Presiding judge of the 4^th Division of that Court – VAC judge Agnieszka Wójcik.

24-26 September 2023

On 24-26 September 2023 the Supreme Administrative Court was visited by a delegation from the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania composed by President of the SAC of Lithuania Skirgailė Žalimienė, Vice-president of the SAC of Lithuania Ernestas Spruogis and Judge of the SAC of Lithuania Veslava Ruskan. The delegation was received by President of the SAC of Poland Jacek Chlebny, together with Vice-presidents: President of the General Administrative Chamber Jerzy Siegień and President of the Financial Chamber Jan Rudowski, and also Chief of the Chancellery of the President of the SAC of Poland Hieronim Kulczycki. During the seminar accompanying the visit, the Presidents of both courts discussed current challenges for the administrative courts of Poland and Lithuania, including the constitutional position, speed of proceedings, and the organisational structure of administrative courts. In the second part of the meeting, speeches were given on "Border procedures in the light of the situation on the border between Belarus and the European Union" (by Polish SAC’s President Jacek Chlebny and Lithuanian SAC’s President Skirgailė Žalimienė); “Access to public information in the Polish and Lithuanian jurisprudence of administrative courts” (by Lithuanian SAC’s Vice-president Ernestas Spruogis and Polish SAC’s Vice-president Jerzy Siegień) and “Tax interpretation in the Polish and Lithuanian jurisprudence of administrative courts” (by Lithuanian SAC’s Judge Veslava Ruskan and Polish SAC’s Vice-president Jan Rudowski). 

25-29 September 2023

Warsaw. On 25-29 September 2023, judges from Austria: David Kaspar – judge of the Regional Administrative Court in Graz and Peter Berger – judge of the Regional Administrative Court in Salzburg, were on a general internship at the Polish Supreme Administrative Court. The internship was organized within the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) internship exchange programme. During the internship, the visiting judges were received by the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, Jacek Chlebny, as well as the President of the General Administrative Chamber, SAC judge Jerzy Siegień and the President of 2^nd Division at this Chamber, SAC judge Małgorzata Miron. The interns held a number of working meetings with SAC judges: Piotr Korzeniowski (General Administrative Chamber), Roman Wiatrowski and Tomasz Kolanowski (Financial Chamber) and with Joanna Wegner (Commercial Chamber),being the tutor during the internship of both foreign judges. Through these meeting the guests had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the practical aspects of the functioning of all Chambers of the Supreme Administrative Court. They took part as an audience in hearings in the 1^st and 2^nd Division of the General Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Administrative Court in cases from the areas of the road traffic law and the monuments protection, as well as in the 4^th Division of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw in cases regarding foreigners, including temporary international protection. They also held a meeting with the President of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw – SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and Vice-President of that Court – VAC judge Paweł Groński. During the meeting with the Head of 2^nd Division of Judicial Decisions Bureau, retired SAC judge Adam Bącal, the guests got acquainted with the activities of the Bureau. They were also received by the SAC judge Iwona Bogucka – Deputy President of the Court Information Division.

20 June 2023

On 20^th of June 2023 the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) was visited by a group of judges and prosecutors from France, Germany, Romania, Slovakia and Spain, staying in Poland within the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) internship exchange programme. The visit was organised in cooperation with the Polish member of the EJTN - the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution (KSSiP). The group was received by reprzentatives of the Court Information Division of the SAC – judge assistants Mr. Szczepan Borowski and Mr Jarosław Czarnota and representative of the Chancellery of the President of the SAC - chief specialist for international relations and EJTN National Contact Point for Administrative Judiciary Mr Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut. The National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution was represented by Ms Aleksandra Klimkowska – judge and chief specialist for international relations in International Relations Unit of KSSiP, EJTN National Contact Point. During the meeting the outline of history, structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. In turn, as well as the hearing of cases by administrative courts, including information on common courts hearing appeals/complaints against certain categories of administrative decisions, the scope of judicial review, the hearing of cases in public hearings and in-camera sessions, rules regarding the formation of adjudicating panels, the conduct of administrative court proceedings were presented. Also the information on the judicial dialogue with the CJEU in the context of the preliminary ruling procedure and on the international contacts of the SAC, including relations with council of states and supreme administrative courts of other EU countries, CJEU and European Court of Human Rights and memberships in international associations and networks of supreme administrative jurisdictions was provided. The guests also visited the premises of the SAC, including the court hearing room and the exhibition on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022), prepared by the SAC in cooperation with the Central Archives of Modern Records and the Institute of National Remembrance.

23 May 2023

The SAC was visited by a group of members of court staff from Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Romania and Spain, staying in Poland within the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) internship exchange programme. The visit was organised in cooperation with the Polish member of the EJTN - the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution (KSSiP).The meeting was hosted by Ms Dorota Pawlicka – senior judge assistant in the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC and Mr Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut - chief specialist for international relations in Chancellery of the President of the SAC. The National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution was represented by Mr Marcin Stpiczynski – courts referendary, chief specialist in Interneational Relations Unit of KSSiP. During the meeting the outline of history, structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. In turn, as well as the hearing of cases by administrative courts, including information on common courts hearing appeals/complaints against certain categories of administrative decisions, the scope of judicial review, the hearing of cases in public hearings and in-camera sessions, rules regarding the formation of adjudicating panels, the conduct of administrative court proceedings were presented. The status of the groups of administrative court staff involved in carrying out the tasks of the administrative courts (judges, court referendaries, judicial assistants and secretarial staff) and the scope of their tasks were discussed. Also the information on the judicial dialogue with the CJEU in the context of the preliminary ruling procedure and on the international contacts of the SAC, including relations with state councils and supreme administrative courts of other European countries (including Ukraine) and memberships in international associations and networks of supreme administrative jurisdictions was provided. The guests visited the premises of the SAC, including the hearing room, the Courts Library and the exhibition organised on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022), prepared by the SAC in cooperation with the Central Archives of Modern Records and the Institute of National Remembrance.

17-21 April 2023

On 17-21 April 2023, prof. Juraj Vačok, a judge of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic, was on a general internship at the Supreme Administrative Court. The internship was organized within the framework of the Judges’ Exchange Programme of the Association of the Councils of State and the Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the EU (ACA-Europe). During the internship, Judge Vačok was received by the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, Jacek Chlebny, as well as by the President of the General Administrative Chamber, judge of SAC Jerzy Siegień, the President of 1^st Division at the Financial Chamber, judge of SAC Małgorzata Niezgódka-Medek, and by judge of SAC Joanna Wegner, adjudicating in the Commercial Chamber. The guest had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the practical aspects of the functioning of all Chambers of the Supreme Administrative Court and their departments. He took part as an audience in hearings in the 1^st Division of the Financial Chamber of the Supreme Administrative Court in cases concerning the tax on goods and services, as well as in the 7^th Division of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw. He also held a meeting with the President and Vice-President of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw - judge of SAC Wojciech Mazur and judge of VAC Alojzy Skrodzki. During the meeting with the President of 2^nd Division of Judicial Decisions Bureau, retired judge of SAC Adam Bącal, the guest got acquainted with the activities of the Bureau. He was also received by the judge of SAC Iwona Bogucka - Deputy President of the Court Information Division. As a part of the exchange programme, judge Juraj Vačok also visited the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights and, in view of his scientific interests, at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw.

17 May 2023

On 17^th May 2023 the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) was visited by a group of judges and prosecutors from France, Germany, Romania, Slovakia and Spain, staying in Poland within the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) internship exchange programme. The visit was organised in cooperation with the Polish member of the EJTN - the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution (KSSiP). The guests were hosted by: Mr Tomasz Kolanowski – Judge of the Financial Chamber of the Supreme Administrative Court, Mr Marek Szwed-Lipiński – judicial assistant in the General Administrative Chamber and Mr Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut – foreign relations officer in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC, EJTN National Contact Point for Administrative Judiciary. The National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution was represented by Ms Aleksandra Klimkowska – judge and chief specialist for international relations in International Relations Unit of KSSiP, EJTN National Contact Point.

The outline of history, structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, as well as legal status of judges and court assessors (judges on probation) and other groups of court officials involved in judicial activities (court referendaries, judge assisstants)   were presented. Also the rules of administrative court proceedings: the scope of judicial review, the hearing of cases in public hearings and in-camera sessions (including remote hearings), rules regarding the formation of adjudicating panels, the way of conduct of administrative court proceedings were presented. Judge Kolanowski acquainted the guests with the pre-war Supreme Administrative Tribunal's ruling on personal income tax - the tax law status of women as head of household and the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling on personal income tax in a cross-border (Polish-Belgian)  case (case no. II FSK 1938/20).

Also the information on the judicial dialogue with the CJEU in the context of the preliminary ruling procedure and on the international contacts of the SAC, including relations with council of states and supreme administrative jurisdictions of other EU countries, CJEU and European Court of Human Rights and memberships in international associations and networks of supreme administrative jurisdictions was provided.

The guests also visited the premises of the SAC, including the court hearing room, the Courts Library and the exhibition on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022), prepared by the SAC in cooperation with the Central Archives of Modern Records and the Institute of National Remembrance.

13 April 2023

On 13 April 2023 the group of German legal trainees, attending a traineeship (Referendariat) at the District Court in Berlin (Kammergericht Berlin) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC).

The meeting was hosted by Mr Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut - chief specialist in Chancellery of the President of the SAC and Mr Marek Szwed-Lipiński – senior judicial assistant in the General Administrative Chamber. During the meeting the outline of history, structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. In turn, as well as the hearing of cases by administrative courts, including information on common courts hearing appeals/complaints against certain categories of administrative decisions, the scope of judicial review, the hearing of cases in public hearings and in-camera sessions, rules regarding the formation of adjudicating panels, the conduct of administrative court proceedings were presented.

Also the information on the judicial dialogue with the CJEU in the context of the preliminary ruling procedure and on the international contacts of the SAC, including relations with state councils and supreme administrative courts of other European countries (including Ukraine) and memberships in international associations and networks of supreme administrative jurisdictions was provided.

The guests visited the premises of the SAC, including the hearing room, the Courts Library and the exhibition organised on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022), prepared by the SAC in cooperation with the Central Archives of Modern Records and the Institute of National Remembrance.

22 March 2023

On 22 March 2023 the group of students from Faculty of Law of François Rabelais University of Tours visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: Szczepan Borowski and Jarosław Czarnota - judge's assistants from the Court Information Division, Marek Szwed-Lipiński - judge's assistant from the General Administrative Chamber and Małgorzata Szyszkowska from the Interstructural Expert Team. During the meeting, an outline of constitutional and statutory regulations concerning administrative courts in Poland and the history of the headquater of the Supreme Administrative Court were presented, as well as practical aspects of the work of judges and employees of the Court's secretariats. The group of French students was accompanied by Prof. Patrick Baleynaud (Université François-Rabelais de Tours) – Honorary Consul of Poland in Tours and Co-director of French Law School of University of Łódź. Afterwards the group visited the Court building and the exhibition prepared on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal.

 

2022

8 December 2022

On 8 December 2022 the group of members of the administrative staff of the Appeals Authority for Asylum of the Ministry for Migration and Asylum of the Republic of Greece visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within study visit to the Office for Foreigners of Poland.

The guests were hosted by Mr Jacek Chlebny - President of the SAC and National Contact Point of European Union Agency for Asylum, who presented legal framework of the Polish national asylum system, asylum case-law of Polish administrative courts, jurisdiction and proceedings before the SAC and voivodship administrative court, legal questions regarding access to classified evidence during administrative and administrative court proceedings and current migration trends on Polish-Belarusian border. In turn, Ms Maria Fukianou - Administrative Director of the Greek Appeals Authority for Asylum presented the legal basis, organisation, competences of the Office, including statistics on the inflow and settlement of cases as well as the implementation of the project “Development of the management capacities of the National Asylum and Migration Systems”, which was financed by the European Economic Area and Norwegian Funds in the course of which the study visit in Poland took place.

The guests also visited the exhibition organised on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022), prepared by the SAC in cooperation with the Central Archives of Modern Records and the Institute of National Remembrance.

8 December 2022

The SAC was visited by a group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, Romania and Italy, staying in Poland within the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) internship exchange programme. The visit was organised in cooperation with the Polish member of the EJTN - the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution (KSSiP).The meeting was hosted by SAC judge dr Krzysztof Winiarski - Presiding Judge of the 3^rd Division of the Financial Chamber and Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut - chief specialist in Chancellery of the President of the SAC. The group participated as an audience in a remote hearing before 3^rd Division of the Financial Chamber in case regarding the immediate enforceability of the decision imposing real estate tax. After the hearing, representatives of the SAC presented information on the history of the establishment of Polish administrative judiciary, constitutional position, organisational structure and competences of the Supreme Administrative Court, administrative court procedure (including special regulations passed in the context of COVID-19 pandemic), disciplinary proceedings regarding administrative judges and the daily work of judges and court staff. Information was also presented on the judicial dialogue with the CJEU in the context of the preliminary ruling procedure and on the international contacts of the SAC, including relations with state councils and supreme administrative courts of other European countries (including Ukraine) and memberships in international associations and networks of supreme administrative jurisdictions. The guests visited the exhibition organised on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022), prepared by the SAC in cooperation with the Central Archives of Modern Records and the Institute of National Remembrance.

23 November 2022

The SAC was visited by a group of members of court staff from Croatia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Romania, staying in Poland within the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) internship exchange programme. The visit was organised in cooperation with the Polish member of the EJTN - the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution (KSSiP).The meeting was hosted by SAC judge Marek Stojanowski - Presiding Judge of the 1^st Division of the General Administrative Chamber, Marek Szwed-Lipiński – judicial assistant and Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut - chief specialist in Chancellery of the President of the SAC. Judge Stojanowski presented information on the constitutional position, organisational structure and scope of adjudication of administrative courts, with particular reference to the Supreme Administrative Court, the procedure for hearing cases, the rules for recruitment of judicial assistants and court referendaries in administrative courts, as well as statistical data on the inflow of cases and the length of time of proceedings. In turn, Mr Szwed-Lipiński presented the groups of administrative court staff involved in carrying out the tasks of the administrative courts (judges, court referendaries, judicial assistants and secretarial staff) and the scope of their tasks. Information on the judicial dialogue with the CJEU was also presented in the context of the preliminary ruling procedure and on the international contacts of the SAC, including relations with councils of states and supreme administrative courts of other European countries and memberships in international associations and networks of supreme administrative jurisdictions. The guests also visited the exhibition organised on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Administrative Tribunal (1922-2022), prepared by the SAC in cooperation with the Central Archives of Modern Records and the Institute of National Remembrance.

21-25 November, 2022

On 21–25 November 2022 Mr. Marco Lipari, judge of the Council of State of Italy was on a general internship at the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Kraków. The internship was organized in cooperation between the SAC and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN). During the stay judge Lipari was hosted by the President of the SAC dr hab. prof. UŁ Jacek Chlebny, as well as by acting as the President of the Commercial Chamber, SAC judge Małgorzata Korycińska. He had occasion to familiarise himself with practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber and its divisions. Judge Lipari observed court hearings at SAC in cases related to refugees, including refusal of international protection and refugee status. He had also working meetings with judge of VAC in Warsaw delegated to adjudicate in the General Administrative Chamber of the SAC, who was his tutor – judge dr Mirosław Gdesz. He familiarised himself with the competences and activities of the Judicial Decisions Bureau (during the meeting with SAC judge prof. dr hab. Joanna Sieńczyło-Chlabicz – Head of the 3^rd Division) and of the Court Information Division of the SAC, where he was hosted by the Presiding judge of that Division, SAC Spokesperson - judge Sylwester Marciniak and his team.Within the frame of programme of his exchange Italian judge paid furthermore working visits in the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, in the Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs Chamber of the Supreme Court, in the Supreme Bar Council, in the Office for Foreigners and also in the Refugee Board. During another part of the exchange programme in VAC in Kraków Italian judge was hosted by the President of that Court, SAC judge dr Anna Dumas, observed court hearings, familiarized himself with the organizational structure of the Court and held working meetings with judges of VAC in Kraków.

 

2020

5-9 October 2020

On 5-9 October 2020, Mr. Daniel Kiesow, a judge of the Bremen Administrative Court (first instance court, Germany) and Mr. Sergio Matos, a judge of the Lisbon Tax Court (first instance court, Portugal), were on a general internship at the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Cracow. The internship was organized in cooperation between the SAC and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

The judges had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the practical aspects of the functioning of the SAC's Judicial Decisions Bureau (where they were received by SAC judge Marian Wolanin - Head of Division I) and the SAC's Judicial Information Division (where they were received by the President of the Division and SAC Spokesman, judge Sylwester Marciniak).

During the internship, the judges also paid a visit to the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw, where they held a meeting with the President of this court - judge Wojciech Mazur and Vice-Presidents - judges of the VAC: Paweł Groński and Alojzy Skrodzki. The guests also took part, as an audience, in the hearings before the VAC in Warsaw and before the VAC in Cracow, and held working meetings with the judges of the SAC and the VAC in Cracow, including their tutor, judge Urszula Zięba.

 

21 September - 4 October 2020

On 21-5 July 2019 Dr. Markus Kenntner  – judge of the 3^rd Senate of the German Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, specialised inter alia in health law, transport and railway law visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit was organised within bilateral partnership between the Polish SAC and the Federal Administrative Court of Germany.

During the stay judge Kenntner was hosted by the Vice-President of the SAC Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. He had occasion to familiarise himself with practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber and its divisions. Moreover he visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where he met President of SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and VAC judges Alojzy Skrodzki –, Vice-president,  Sławomir Antoniuk – Deputy President of the 2^nd Division, as well as dr hab. Joanna Wegner.

In connection with his judicial and scientific interests, the visiting judge had also working meetings with et the Deputy Disciplinary Commissioner of the SAC – SAC judge Hieronim Sęk, who presented the scope of the disciplinary liability of administrative judges and recent case-law in disciplinary matters and SAC judge Andrzej Kuba from the 2^nd Divison of the Commercial Chamber. He also familiarised himself with practical aspects of functioning of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC (where he was hosted by the SAC judge Joanna Kabat-Rembelska – Head of the 5^th Division and legal specialist prof. UAM dr hab. Wojciech Piątek) and of the Court Information Division of the SAC, where he was hosted by the President of that Division - SAC judge Sylwester Marciniak. The guest observed also court hearings in the 2^nd Division of the General Administrative Chamber.

During another part of the exchange programme in VAC in Gdańsk German judge was hosted by the President of that Court SAC judge Zbigniew Romała and SAC judge Joanna Zdzienicka-Wiśniewska – President of the Court Information Division.

The judge also had the opportunity to pay a visit to the Provincial Administrative Court in Krakow, where he held meetings with the Vice President of the Court, judge Bogusław Wolas, and judges Urszula Zięba and dr Waldemar Michaldo.

Within the programme of his exchange German judge paid furthermore working visits in the Constitutional Tribunal, in the Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs Chamber of the Supreme Court, in the German Embassy in Warsaw and in the Consulate General of Germany in Gdańsk. He also met the Deputy Human Rights Commissioner, the members of the Board of the Polsih National Association of the Judges of Administrative Courts, the Dean of the Warsaw Bar Association and the representatives of the Free Courts initiative, as well as representatives of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

 

2019

 

2-8 November 2019

On 2-8 November, at the invitation of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC), Prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski, Prof. Mitsuaki Usui, retired professor at Tokyo University of Science, lecturer at Meiji University Graduale School of Law in Tokyo and Prof. Toshiyoshi Kashiwazaki, professor at Graduale School of Innovation Studies Tokyo University of Science, president of the Japan Association of Public Finance Law, visited Warsaw.

During their stay, the professors gave lectures for judges, assistants to judges and invited guests on financial law in the Constitution of Japan and on judicial appeal proceedings in administrative and tax cases in the Japanese legal system. The participatns were welcomed and introduced into the subject matter of lectures by the Vice-President of the SAC, President of the Financial Chamber, Judge Jan Rudowski.

The guests were received at the meeting by the President of the SAC, Prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski, and also took part in the meeting led by the Deputy Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, Judge Jerzy Siegień. During the visit, the professors held a series of working meetings with the SAC Judge, Prof. dr hab. Antoni Hanusz, adjudicating in the Financial Chamber of the SAC, who was the tutor of the delegation. In addition, they took part in a hearing before the Supreme Administrative Court (in Division I of the Financial Chamber) as an audience.

The guests also paid a visit to the Supreme Court, where they were received by the First President of the Supreme Court, Prof. dr hab. Małgorzata Gersdorf, President of the Civil Chamber, Judge Dariusz Zawistowski, President of the Criminal Chamber, Judge Stanisław Zabłocki, and the President of the Department in the Chamber of Labour and Social Security, Judge Katarzyna Gonera.

 

17 October 2019

On 17 October 2019 a group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Spain visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in cooperation with Polish member – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Andrzej Kuba and Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut – chief specialist in the President’s Office Team. Judge Andrzej Kuba welcomed guests and answered questions concerning administrative and administartive court proceedings, everyday work of judges of the SAC and judicial system's reform in Poland. Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut presented the outline of history, structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court, including the relations of the Court with supreme administrative jurisdictions of other European countries.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by Ms. Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and senior expert at the International Cooperation Division of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

 

14-18 October 2019

On 14-18 October 2019 a group of judges from Spain: Ms. Maria Elisa Gómez Alvarez (judge of the Administrative Court in Madrid), Mr. Jorge Juan Punset Fernandez (judge of the Administrative Court in Oviedo) and Mr. Luis Carlos Martín Osante (judge of the Administrative Court in Zaragoza) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the general exchange programme, in cooperation between the SAC and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the first day of the stay guests were welcomed by the Vice-President of the SAC Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. They also took part in a meeting hosted by the Deputy Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, judge of SAC Jerzy Siegień and judge of SAC, dr. hab. Artur Mudrecki - Head of the 3rd Division in the Bureau, who presented the tasks and competences of this unit. The judges attended working meetings with the tutor of the trainee - judge of SAC Mirosław Wincenciak, adjudicating in the General Administrative Chamber. Guests paid a visit at the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw where they met with the management of this Court. Moreover they observed court hearings before the SAC (1st Division of the General Administrative Chamber). During the meeting with representatives of the Court Information Division of the SAC they had occasion to familiarize themselves with the role and practical aspects of functioning of this unit.

 

29-30 September 2019

On 29-30 September 2019, at the invitation of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC), Prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski, a delegation of the Council of State of France, chaired by the Councilor of State Ms Martine de Boisdeffre, President of the Studies and Analyses Section, visited Warsaw.

As part of the visit in the seat of the SAC a seminar was held on how to ensure uniformity of jurisprudence of administrative courts in Poland and France; the process of appointing and status of administrative judges and the adjudicating by an administrative judge on the basis of classified documents. The speeches were delivered by the members of the Council of State: Ms Sophie Caroline de Margerie, Ms Béatrice Bourgeois and Mr Yves Gounin, as well as by the judges of the SAC: Jacek Chlebny, Vice-President of the SAC, President of the General Administrative Chamber, Judge Janusz Drachal, Vice-President of the SAC, President of the Commercial Chamber and Dr. Anna Dumas, Vice-President of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Cracow.

The heads of both delegations stressed the importance of bilateral contacts between the Supreme Administrative Court and the Council of State of France and agreed on forms of continuing cooperation between Polish and French judges within the framework of mutual internships and subsequent seminars and working meetings organised regularly and alternately in Poland and France.

 

27 September 2019

On 27 September 2019, the Supreme Administrative Court was visited by a four-person delegation from the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz (Germany), staying in Poland at the invitation of the President of the Supreme Court, the chairman of the Civil Chamber.

The German delegation was led by Marliese Dicke, President of the Higher Regional Court. On behalf of the President of the SAC the visit was received by Janusz Drachal – the Vice-President of the SAC and the President of the Commercial Chamber.

During the meeting, the constitutional position, structure and principles of functioning of administrative courts in Poland were presented. The guests were acquainted with the organizational structure of the SAC, the jurisdiction, functions and tasks of its Chambers, with particular emphasis on the Commercial Chamber and the role of the Chancellery of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court. The international contacts of the SAC were also discussed, including the relations of the Court with administrative jurisdictions of other countries.

 

 

24 September 2019

On 24^th of September 2019 Ms. Simona Camelia Marcu, the President of the  Highest Council of Judiciary of the Romania, staying in Poland at the invitation of the National Council of the Judiciary, visited the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC). On behalf of the President of the SAC the visit was received by Janusz Drachal – the Vice-President of the SAC and the President of the Commercial Chamber.  The meeting was also attended by SAC judge Barbara Stukan-Pytlowany, Head of the 1^st Department of Commercial Chamber and SAC judge Małgorzata Korycińska, Head of the 2^nd Department of Commercial Chamber.

 

During the meeting the structure and functioning of administrative courts in Poland and Romania were presented. The organizational structure of the Supreme Administrative Court was also discussed, including the competence, functions and tasks of individual Chambers of the Supreme Administrative Court, with special reference to the Commercial Chamber.

 

17 September 2019

On 17 September 2019 Ms. Magda Melikishvili from the University of Tbilisi (Georgia), visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of an internship at the Office of the National Council of the Judiciary in Poland. The guest was received by the representatives of the SAC: Robert Borek, chief specialist in the Economic & Administration Division of the SAC and dr. Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak – chief specialist in the President’s Office Team. Ms. Magda Melikishvili visited the building, including the library, reading room and General Assembly hall, learning the basic principles of functioning of the administrative judiciary in Poland. She also observed a court hearing before the Supreme Administrative Court.

 

5 September 2019

On 5 September 2019 a group of judges and prosecutors from Austria, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in cooperation with Polish member – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Andrzej Kuba; Robert Borek, chief specialist in the Economic & Administration Division of the SAC and dr. Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak – chief specialist in the President’s Office Team. Judge Andrzej Kuba welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts and everyday work of judges of the SAC, dr Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak presented the structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. The history of the current buildings of the Court was presented by Robert Borek.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by Ms. Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

2-6 September 2019

On 2-6 September 2019 Ms. Nélia de Brito - judge of the Administrative and Financial Court in Sintra (Portugal), Mr. Carlo Buonauro - judge of the Regional Administrative Court of Campania - Naples (Italy) and Mr. Giovanni Tulumello - judge of the Regional Administrative Court of Sicilia – Palermo (Italy) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the general exchange programme, in cooperation between the SAC and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay guests were welcomed by judge of SAC Aleksandra Wrzesińska-Nowacka – President of the 2nd Division of the Financial Chamber in the SAC and judge of SAC Krzysztof Winiarski. They had occasion to familiarise themselves with the practical aspects of functioning of this Chamber and its divisions. They also attended meetings with representatives of the Court Information Division: judge of SAC Sylwester Marciniak – Head of this Division and the Spokesman of the Court and dr. hab. Michał Kowalski, as well as Heads of the 4th and 1st Division of the Judicial Decisions Bureau – judge of SAC Joanna Kabat-Rembelska and judge of SAC Marian Wolanin. Guests observed court hearings before the 2nd Division of the Financial Chamber of the SAC. Moreover they visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Cracow, where they met with the Vice-President of this Court – judge of SAC Anna Dumas.

Within the programme of the exchange judges Nélia de Brito, Carlo Buonauro and Giovanni Tulumello paid working visits to the Ombudsman Office and to the Supreme Court.

 

4 September 2019

On 4 September 2019 the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) visited three-member delegation of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia, staying in Poland at the invitation of the First President of the Polish Supreme Court. The delegation was chaired by the President of the Court – Mr. Ivar Bičkovičs. On behalf of the President of the SAC the visit was received by Jacek Chlebny – the Vice-President of the SAC and the President of the General Administrative Chamber.

During the meeting the structure and functioning of administrative courts in Latvia and Poland were presented. The organizational structure of the Supreme Administrative Court was also discussed, in particular the competence, functions and tasks of the Chambers of the SAC, of the Judicial Information Division of the SAC, as well as the Judicial Decisions Bureau and the Chancellery of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court.

The discussion also focused on tools for ensuring the uniformity of jurisprudence, with particular emphasis on the procedure for adopting resolutions in the Supreme Administrative Court and the Supreme Court of Latvia, as well as on competence disputes between administrative and civil courts in both countries.

 

8-16 July 2019

From 8 to 16 July 2019, judge Cécile Renault from the Council of State of France was staying at the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Cracow, within the framework of the Exchange Programme for judges organized by the Association of Councils of State and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the EU (ACA-Europe).

During her stay, judge Renault met the Vice-President of the SAC – President of the General Administrative Chamber Jacek Chlebny, Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, prof. dr hab. Roman Hauser, Head of the 4^th Division of this Bureau, SAC judge Joanna Kabat-Rembelska as well as the Deputy President of the Court Information Division, SAC judge dr Wojciech Jakimowicz. As part of her exchange programme, she visited the Constitutional Tribunal, the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman. She also visited the Voivodship Administrative Court (VAC) in Warsaw, where she was received by Vice-Presidents of this Court, VAC judges: Małgorzata Jarecka and Alojzy Skrodzki.

During her stay at the VAC in Cracow, judge Renault was received by the President of this Court, SAC judge Andrzej Irla and Vice-president of this Court, SAC judge dr Anna Dumas. Judge Renault also took part, as an audience, in hearings before the SAC and the VAC in Cracow, and held a series of working meetings with the judges of these courts. During her stay at the VAC in Cracow, judge Renault gave a lecture on the role, function and organization of the French Council of State for judges, referendaries and judges’ assistants of this Court

 

1-12 July 2019

From 1 to 12 July 2019, judge Dario Simeoli from the Council of State of Italy was visiting the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Cracow, within the framework of the Exchange Programme for judges organized by the International Association of Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions (IASAJ).

During his stay, judge Simeoli met the Vice-President of the SAC – President of the General Administrative Chamber Jacek Chlebny, Presidents of the Divisions of the Commercial Chamber of the SAC: SAC judge Barbara Stukan-Pytlowany and SAC judge Małgorzata Korycińska, President of the Court Information Division, SAC judge Sylwester Marciniak, SAC judge Andrzej Kuba as well as Head of the 2nd Division in the Judicial Decisions Bureau, SAC judge Arkadiusz Despot-Mładanowicz. He also visited the Voivodship Administrative Court (VAC) in Warsaw, where he was received by Vice-Presidents of the Court, VAC judge Małgorzata Jarecka and VAC judge Alojzy Skrodzki. During his stay in the VAC in Cracow, judge Simeoli was received by the President of this Court, SAC judge Andrzej Irla and VAC judge Urszula Zięba, who was the guest's tutor in Cracow. Judge Simeoli also took part, as an audience, in hearings before the SAC, the VACs in Warsaw and Cracow, and held a series of working meetings with the judges of these courts.

As part of his exchange programme, he also visited the Constitutional Tribunal, the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman. He also held meetings with representatives of the Institute for Urban and Regional Development at the Ministry of Investment and Development and representatives of the ClientEarth Foundation Lawyers for Earth.

 

1-5 July 2019

On 1-5 July 2019 Prof. Dr. Christoph Külpmann  – judge of the 4^th Senate of the German Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig and Honorary Professor at the University of Bremen visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit was organised within bilateral partnership between the Polish SAC and the Federal Administrative Court of Germany.

During the stay judge Külpmann was hosted by the Vice-President of the SAC. Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. He had occasion to familiarise himself with practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber and its divisions. Moreover he visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where he met the Vice-Presidents of that Court - VAC judges Małgorzata Jarecka and Alojzy Skrodzki. In connection with his judicial interests, the visiting judge had also working meetings with the VAC judges: President of the 7^th Division and Deputy President of the 4^th Division, who presented organisation and everyday work of those divisions as well as the jurisdiction and current jurisprudence in construction, environmental and spatial planning law. Mr. Külpmann observed further court hearings before the SAC and the VAC in Warsaw. In the SAC he had the opportunity to familiarise himself with practical aspects of functioning of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, where he was hosted by the SAC judge Arkadiusz Despot-Mładanowicz – Head of the 1^st Division and of the Court Information Division of the SAC, where he was hosted by the President of that Division - SAC judge Sylwester Marciniak.

As part of his exchange programme, German judge paid furthermore working visits in the Constitutional Tribunal, in the in the Ombudsman Office, in the Extraordinary Control and Public Affairs Chamber of the Supreme Court. He also met the representatives of the Institute of Urban and Regional Development and the representatives of the WWF Foundation Poland and Client Earth “Lawyers for the Earth” Foundation.

Prof. Külpmann participated in some of the meetings together with Dr. Dario Simeoli - the judge of the Italian Council of State, who visited SAC and VAC in Krakow from 2 to 12 July 2019 within the exchange programme for judges of the International Association of Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions (IASAJ).

 

10-14 June 2019

On 10-14 June 2019 Ms Astrid Behler – judge of the Administrative Court of Dresden (court of 1st instance) in Saxony (Germany) and Ms Myriam Carvalho – judge of the 1st instance court – Administrative Court of Toulouse (France) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the specialized exchange programme on asylum law, organized by the SAC in cooperation with the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN). During the stay the judges were hosted by the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. They had occasion to familiarise themselves with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber, its divisions, especially of its 2nd Division competent to decide on foreigners and asylum cases. Moreover they visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where they met the President of that Court SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and VAC judges Vice-President Paweł Groński and Anna Szymańska - President of the 4th Division.

 

The guests observed also court hearings in the 4th Division of the VAC in Warsaw and in the 2nd Division of the General Administrative Chamber. In connection with their judicial interests, the visiting judges had additional working meeting with VAC judge Anna Szymańska, who presented the practical aspects of functioning of the department as well as the jurisdiction and current jurisprudence in refugee cases. The guests were also received by SAC judges: Marian Wolanin and Arkadiusz Despot-Mładanowicz – the Heads of the 1st and 2nd Division of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, who presented the role, tasks and competences of the Bureau and also by Sylwester Marciniak – the President of the Court Information Division of the SAC. Within the programme of the exchange visiting judges paid furthermore working visits in the Ombudsman Office, in the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the Refugee Board and in the Centre for Foreigners (Mothers and Children) of the Office for Foreigners in Warszawa-Targówek.

 

6-7 June 2019

 

On 6-7 June 2019, the President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania Gintaras Kryževičius together with a delegation of Lithuanian judges from administrative courts and scientific researchers visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). Guests participated in the Polish-Lithuanian seminar on "Constitutional argumentation in the jurisprudence of administrative courts" organized by the SAC in cooperation with the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Łódź. The meeting was also attended by representatives of the SAC, the University of Łódź, the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.

The seminar was opened and the guests were welcomed by judge of the SAC dr hab. prof. UŁ Bartosz Wojciechowski - Director of the Center for the Theory and Philosophy of Human Rights and Head of the European Law Division of the SAC Judicial Decisions Bureau. During the seminar the interpretative change of the constitution, internal dimension of EU’s Constitutionalization – increasing European consciousness, as well as interactions between constitutional courts and the Court of Justice of the European Union were discussed.

 

5-7 June 2019

On 5-7 June 2019, a workshop for judges "National Judges and the EU Åarhus Acquis. Focus on Access to Justice" organized by the European Law Academy in Trier (ERA) within the support of the “Cooperation with National Judges in the field of Environmental Law” programme of the European Union, took place at the seat of the Supreme Administrative Court.

The seminar was opened by Vice-President of SAC, judge prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny - President of the General Administrative Chamber and Dr. Kleoniki Pouikli – Course Director in European Public Law Unit of ERA.

The workshop was designed to provide the participants with an introduction to Åarhus Convention, overview of the three pillars of the Åarhus Convention (access to information, public participation in environmental decision-making, right to bring a legal challenge - legal standing, scope and standard of judicial review, effective remedies, litigation costs and time limits of the procedures) as well as the preliminary reference procedure on interpretation and validity of EU law in the context of EU judicial protection in environmental matters.

In the Warsaw workshop participated speakers and judges from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Scotland and Spain.

 

4 June 2019

On 4 June 2019 a group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Spain visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in collaboration with Polish member – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Sylwester Marciniak, President of the Court Information Division and the Spokesman of the Court; Robert Borek, chef specialist in the Economic & Administration Division of the SAC and dr. Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak – chef specialist in the Domestic & Foreign Relations team of the SAC. Judge Sylwester Marciniak welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts and everyday work of judges of the SAC, dr Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak presented the structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. The history of the current buildings of the Court was presented by Robert Borek.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by Ms. Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

27-31 May 2019

 

On 27-31 October 2018 Mr. Reinhard Wilke – deputy presiding judge of the 1. Senate of the Higher Administrative Court of the Land Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the Specialized Exchange Programme on Environmental law, organized by the SAC in cooperation with the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

 

During the stay judge Wilke was accompanied by the tutor – dr Mirosław Gdesz- judge of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) delegated to adjudicating at the General Administrative Chamber of the SAC. Judge Wilke had occasion to familiarise himself with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber, its divisions, especially of its 2^nd Division competent to decide on environment protection and spatial planning. Moreover he visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where he held the meeting with the President of that Court SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and VAC judge Anna Szymańska – President of the 4^th Division, which focused on the procedure of appointment of judges in Poland and issues related to environmental protection requirements in case of the location of public purpose investments of considerable size. He observed further court hearings in the 4^th Division of the VAC in Warsaw and in the 2^nd Division of the General Administrative Chamber. In connection with his judicial interests, the visiting judge had additional working meeting with VAC judge Anna Szymańska, who presented the practical aspects of the functioning of the department as well as the jurisdiction and current jurisprudence in the field of environmental protection and spatial development as well as in refugee cases. Judge Wilke was also received by SAC judges: Arkadiusz Despot-Mładanowicz and Teresa Bogucka – the heads of the 1^st Division and 4^th Division of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, who presented the role, tasks and competences of the Bureau as well as issues related to environmental protection requirements for large construction projects.

 

Within the programme of the exchange judge Wilke paid furthermore working visits in the Ombudsman Office, in the Bureau of Architecture and Spatial Planning of the Municipal Office of the Capital City of Warsaw, as well as  he met the representatives of the WWF Foundation Poland and Client Earth “Lawyers for the Earth” Foundation.

 

 

20-24 May 2019

13-17 May 2019

On 13-17 May 2019 Ms Maria Stella Boscarino – judge of the Regional Administrative Court of Sicily (Italy) and Ms Britta Schwemmer – judge of the Financial Court of Nuremberg (Germany) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the specialized exchange programme, in cooperation between the SAC and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay guests were welcomed by judge of SAC Aleksandra Wrzesińska-Nowacka – President of the 2nd Division of the Financial Chamber in the SAC. They had occasion to familiarise themselves with the practical aspects of functioning of this Chamber and its divisions. Moreover they took part in working meetings with judge of SAC Roman Wiatrowski from the Financial Chamber, who carried out the function of a tutor during the exchange and with judge of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Cracow, Ms Urszula Zięba. Judges Boscarino and Schwemmer also attended a meeting conducted by the Deputy Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, judge of SAC Jerzy Siegień, who presented the role, tasks and competences of this unit together with other representatives of the Bureau.

Judges also visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where they met the President of the Court – judge of SAC Wojciech Mazur, the Vice-President of the Court – judge of VAC Paweł Groński and judge of VAC Marta Waksmundzka-Karasińska –  President of the 3rd Division of the VAC in Warsaw, competent to decide on tax cases.

Guests observed court hearings before the 1st Division of the Financial Chamber of the SAC and the 3rd Division of the VAC in Warsaw. Within the programme of the exchange judges Boscarino and Schwemmer paid working visit in the Ombudsman Office and visited the building of the Supreme Court.

 

12 April 2019

On 12 April 2019 at the seat of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) a meeting was held on the online case law database in the field of refugee cases (EASO Information and Documentation System on Case Law) created by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The representative of EASO Ms. Maria Papaioannou presented the content of this database and using principles. The meeting was attended by judges and judges’ assistants from the General Administrative Chamber of the SAC and the 4. Division of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw.

 

20 March 2019

On 20 March 2018 the group of students from Faculty of Law of François Rabelais University of Tours visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Andrzej Kuba, Robert Borek from the Administrative & Economic Department and Małgorzata Szyszkowska and Dr. Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak from the Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC. During the meeting practical aspects of judges activity and activities of the SAC, as well as outline of constitutional and legal position of administrative courts in Poland and the history of the current building of the Court were presented. The group of French students was accompanied by Prof. Patrick Baleynaud (Université François-Rabelais de Tours) – Honorary Consul of Poland in Tours and Co-director of French Law School of University of Łódź. The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

1 March 2019

On 1 March 2019 a group of students from the European Law Students Association (ELSA) from Toulouse visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Andrzej, Hieronim Kulczycki – Head of the Administrative & Economic Department, Dorota Pawlicka – chief specialist in European Law Department of the Judicial Decisions Bureau and Małgorzata Szyszkowska – specialist at Domestic and Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

Mr. Hieronim Kulczycki presented the history of administrative courts in Poland and the history of the current building of the Court, and then Ms. Dorota Pawlicka presented the court system in Poland, as well as the organization and jurisdiction of Polish administrative courts, with particular reference to the tasks of the Supreme Administrative Court. Judge Andrzej Kuba answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts, the daily work of judges of the SAC and judicial system's reform in Poland. The group visited the seat of the court, including the SAC Library, reading room and court rooms.

 

20 February 2019

On 20 February 2019 the group of German legal trainees, attending a traineeship at the District Court of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Andrzej Kuba from Commercial Chamber of the SAC and Mr Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut, chief specialist at Domestic and Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

Judge Andrzej Kuba welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts, everyday work of judges of the SAC and judicial system's reform in Poland. Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut presented the history, structure, position, functions and competences of Polish administrative judiciary, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. The visit also included visiting the premises of the SAC, including the Court’s Library and court rooms.

 

11-12 February 2019 

On 11-12 February 2019 a delegation from the Curia of Hungary composed of: dr Péter Darák (President of the Curia of Hungary), dr Tibor Kalas (Head of the Administrative Department of the Curia of Hungary) and Professor András Patyi (Head of judicial panel of the Administrative Department of the Curia of Hungary) visited the Polish Supreme Administrative Court (SAC).

The delegation had meetings with representatives of the SAC Management and judges, during which the organisational structure, competences and functioning of administrative courts in Poland were presented. Also the length of administrative court proceedings and application of European law by Polish administrative courts were discussed. The organisation of the judiciary in Hungary was also presented, with particular emphasis on the planned reform, aimed at establishing a separate branch of the administrative judiciary.

The delegation also paid a visit to the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw, where it met the Management of this Court and was acquainted with the structure and organisation of work of this largest administrative court in Poland, the rules and procedure of recruitment for the post of assessor and administrative judge, as well as current problems in this court's case-law.

2018

 

3-7 December 2018

On 3-7 December 2018 Mr. Luca Lamberti – judge of the Italian Council of State visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the general exchange programme, organised by the SAC in cooperation with the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay judge Lamberti was hosted by the President of the 2^nd Division of the Financial Chamber in the SAC – judge of SAC Aleksandra Wrzesińska-Nowacka, the President of the 1^st Division of the Financial Chamber in the SAC – judge of SAC Adam Bącal and judge of SAC Roman Wiatrowski adjudicating in that Chamber (tutor of the trainee). He also had occasion to familiarise himself with the practical aspects of functioning of the Financial Chamber and its divisions. Moreover Mr. Lamberti visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where he met the President of the Court –SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and the Vice-President of that Court –VAC judge Paweł Groński. He observed court hearings in the SAC and in the VAC in Warsaw. He took part in working meetings with judges adjudicating in the SAC.

Judge Lamberti was also hosted by the Vice-president of the Court Information Division of the SAC, judge of SAC Sylwester Marciniak and the Deputy Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, judge of SAC Jerzy Siegień, who presented the role, tasks and competences of those units.

Within the programme of the exchange judge Lamberti paid working visits in the Regional Public Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw and in the Ombudsman Office. He also met the representative of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution and visited the building of the Supreme Court.

 

19-23 November 2018

On 19-23 November 2018 Ms. Ilse Bouter – administrative judge of the District Court in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the general exchange programme, organised by the SAC in cooperation with the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay judge Bouter was hosted by the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – President of the General Administrative Chamber. She also had occasion to familiarise herself with the practical aspects of functioning of the Financial Chamber of the SAC and its divisions. Moreover Ms. Bouter visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where she met the Vice-President of that Court - judge of VAC Paweł Groński. She observed court hearings in the SAC and in the VAC in Warsaw. Judge Bouter was also received in the Judicial Decisions Bureau, where the role, tasks and competences of the Bureau were presented.

Within the programme of the exchange judge Bouter paid working visits in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the Refugee Board, in the Ombudsman Office and in the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. She also visited the building of the Supreme Court.

 

15-26 October 2018

On 15-26 October 2018 Mr. Luis Miguel Blanco Dominguez – judge of the Administrative High Court of Castilla y León in Spain (court of appeal) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Gdańsk (VAC) within the framework of the general exchange programme, organized in cooperation between the SAC and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the first week of his stay judge Blanco was welcomed by the Vice-President of the SAC, judge Janusz Drachal – President of the Commercial Chamber of the SAC. He had occasion to familiarise himself with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber and its divisions, as well as to meet judges adjudicating in the SAC. He visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw where he had a meeting with the management of this Court headed by the Vice-President - judge of VAC Małgorzata Jarecka. He observed court hearings before the SAC (1st Division of the Commercial Chamber) and the VAC in Warsaw (5th Division). Judge Blanco became acquainted with tasks and organisation of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, where he was received by the Deputy Director of this Bureau - judge of the SAC Jerzy Siegień. Moreover he took part in a discussion on mediation with a representative of the European Law Division in the Bureau. Within the programme of the exchange judge Blanco also visited the Supreme Court, Bureau of the Commissioner for Human Rights, the Public Procurement Office and National Appeals Chamber, Office of Competition and Consumer Protection and the Supreme Audit Office.

During the second week of the stay in Poland judge Blanco was hosted by the President of the VAC in Gdańsk – judge of the SAC Zbigniew Romała and the Spokesperson and President of the Court Information Division - judge of the SAC Joanna Zdzienicka-Wiśniewska, who was a tutor of the trainee. While visiting the VAC in Gdańsk judge Blanco took part in working meetings in this Court and participated in hearings before the VAC. He also visited the Court of Appeal and Regional Court in Gdańsk. During his visit at the VAC in Gdańsk judge Blanco gave a lecture concerning administrative judiciary in Spain to judges, court referendaries and judge assistants of the VAC.

 

19 October 2018

On 19 October 2018 the delegation of judges from the Shanghai High People's Court and Shanghai Intermediate People's Courts paid a visit to the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The delegation was headed by senior judge Huang Xiangqing – the President of Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court. The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Andrzej Kuba, Mr. Hieronim Kulczycki – Head of the Administrative & Economic Department of the SAC, Mr. Robert Borek – chef specialist in this Department and dr. Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak – chef specialist in the Domestic & Foreign Relations team of the SAC. Subinspector Bogusław Gawryła from the Convocation Department of the Warsaw Metropolitan Police Headquarters also took part in the meeting.

During the visit practical aspects of judges activity and activities of the SAC including the educational activity of the Court were presented. The discussion also covered an outline of constitutional and legal position of administrative courts in Poland, the history of the building of the Court as well as principles of functioning of the judicial police. Moreover the visit included a tour of the court's building.

 

15-18 October 2018

On 15-18 October 2018 the group of judges from Bugarian courts – Supreme Administrative Court and Administrative Court of Haskovo visited Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) and Voivodship Administrative Court in Warszawa (VAC), within the framework of the Programme of study visits for asylum law judges organised by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The co-organizers of the study visit were SAC and VAC Warsaw.

During their stay Bulgarian judges met with Vice-President of the SAC, dr hab. prof. UŁ Jacek Chlebny – President of the General Administrative Chamber of the SAC and EASO National Contact Point and VAC judge Teresa Zyglewska – President of the 4^th Division of the VAC Warsaw, competent to decide on foreigners and asylum cases. The EASO Office was represented during the study visit by Ms Barbara Opalska - Senior Officer in the Courts and Tribunals Sector of the EASO Department of Asylum Support.

During the meetings the questions of Polish national asylum system, asylum case-law of Polish administrative courts, jurisdiction and proceedings before SAC and VAC and activities of EASO Network of Courts and Tribunals  were presented and discussed. Also the national  legal framework and case law in the field of asylum in Bulgaria were presented to representatives of Polish administrative judiciary.

The visiting judges observed the court hearings before SAC and VAC. The judges also paid a visit to the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, to the Office for Foreigners and they have also occasion to meet a members of the Refugee Board. Moreover the study visit included meetings at the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).

 

8-12 October 2018

On 8-12 October 2018 Ms. Jutta Schild – presiding judge of the Chamber– Administrative Court in Darmstadt (first instance court) in Hessen (Germany) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the Specialized Exchange Programme on Asylum/Refugee law, organised by the SAC in cooperation with the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay judge Schild was hosted by the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. She had occasion to familiarise herself with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber, its divisions, especially of its 2^nd Division competent to decide on foreigners and asylum cases. Moreover Ms. Schild visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where she met the President of that Court SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and VAC judges – Vice-President Paweł Groński and dr hab. Prof. UŁ Agnieszka Krawczyk. She observed further court hearings in the 4^th Division of the VAC in Warsaw. In connection with her judicial interests and secondary activity in the capacity of disciplinary judge, the visiting judge also met the Disciplinary Commissioner of the SAC – retired SAC judge Jerzy Chromicki, who presented the scope of the disciplinary liability of administrative judges and recent case-law in disciplinary matters. Judge Schild was also received by SAC judge Marian Wolanin – The Head of the Division I of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, who presented the role, tasks and competences of the Bureau.

Within the programme of the exchange German judge paid furthermore working visits in the Ombudsman Office, in the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the Refugee Board and in the Centre for Foreigners (Mothers and Children) of the Office for Foreigners in Warszawa-Targówek, as well as  she met the representative of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

 

4 October 2018

On 4 October 2018 a group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in collaboration with Polish member of the EJTN – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by the representative of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution Ms. Anna Natorska-Michrowska  – chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division.

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC:  judge Andrzej Kuba and dr Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak, chief specialist at Domestic and Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

Judge Andrzej Kuba welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts, everyday work of judges of the SAC and judicial system's reform in Poland. Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak presented the structure, position, functions and competences of Polish administrative judiciary, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court.

The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

24-28 September 2018

On 24-28 September 2018 Ms. Eva Wiglinski – judge of the first instance court – Administrative Court in Minden in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the Specialized Exchange Programme on Asylum/Refugee law, organised by the SAC in cooperation with the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay judge Wiglinski was hosted by the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. She had occasion to familiarise herself with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber, its divisions, especially of its 2nd Division competent to decide on foreigners and asylum cases.

Moreover Ms.Wiglinski visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (the VAC) where she met the President of that Court SAC judge Wojciech Mazur and VAC judges – Vice-President Paweł Groński and Anna Szymańska, the deputy President of the 4th Division, competent to decide on asylum cases. She observed further court hearings in the 2nd Division of the General Administrative Chamber of SAC and in the 7th Division of VAC in Warsaw.

Judge Wiglinski was also received by the Deputy Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, SAC judge Jerzy Siegień, who presented the role, tasks and competences of the Bureau.

Within the programme of the exchange German judge paid furthermore working visits in the Ombudsman Office, in the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the Refugee Board and in the Centre for Foreigners (Mothers and Children) of the Office for Foreigners in Warszawa-Targówek, as well as  she met the representative of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution. She had also occasion to visit the premises of the Supreme Court of Poland.

 

17-28 September 2018

On 17-28 September 2018 Ms. Hristina Yurukova – judge of the administrative court of first instance in Pazardzhik (Bulgaria) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Cracow (VAC) within the framework of the general exchange programme, in cooperation between the SAC and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the first week of her stay judge Yurukova was welcomed by judge of the SAC Aleksandra Wrzesińska-Nowacka – President of the 2nd Division of the Financial Chamber in the SAC as well as other judges adjudicating in the Financial Chamber. She visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where she met the President of the Court – judge of the SAC Wojciech Mazur and Vice-Presidents of the Court – judges of VAC: Paweł Groński and Alojzy Skrodzki. She also observed court hearings before the 2nd Division of the Financial Chamber of the SAC and in the 3rd Division of the VAC in Warsaw (dealing with tax cases). Judge Yurukova also familiarized herself with practical aspects of functioning of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, where she was received by the SAC judges – heads of the 3rd and 4th Division: dr hab. Artur Mudrecki and dr Iwona Bogucka. Within the programme of the exchange judge Yurukova also visited the Supreme Court, Bureau of the Commissioner for Human Rights and Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. Moreover she met with the representative of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

During the second week of the stay in Poland judge Yurukova was hosted by the President of the VAC in Cracow – judge of the SAC Andrzej Irla and judge of the VAC Urszula Zięba, who was a tutor of the trainee. While visiting the VAC in Cracow judge Yurukova took part in working meetings in this Court and participated in hearings before the 1st Division of the Court. She also visited the Court of Appeal and Regional Court in Cracow, District Court in Zakopane, as well as National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution located in Cracow.

 

17-21 September 2018

On 17-21 September 2018 Dr. Stefan Langer – judge of the 1^st Senate of the German Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, specialised in disciplinary matters of the armed forces, visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit was organised within bilateral partnership between the Polish SAC and the Federal Administrative Court of Germany.

During the stay judge Langer was hosted by judge of the SAC Małgorzata Borowiec – judge of the 1^st Division of the General Administrative Chamber, competent to decide i.a. on the cases regarding officers of the armed forces and other uniformed services. He had also occasion to familiarize himself with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber.

Moreover he visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (VAC) where he met the SAC judge – President of the Court Wojciech Mazur and the VAC judges – Vice-Presidents: Paweł Groński and Alojzy Skrodzki. He attended also working meeting with the VAC judges: Andrzej Kołodziej – President of the 2^nd Division (competent in cases armed forces and uniformed services cases) and dr hab. Przemysław Szustakiewicz, judge in that Division.

Mr. Langer observed further court hearings before in the 1^st Division of the General Administrative Chamber of the SAC and in the 2nd Division of the VAC in Warsaw.

He also familiarized himself with the practical aspects of functioning of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, where he was hosted by the SAC judges – heads of the 3^rd and 4^th: dr hab. Artur Mudrecki and dr Iwona Bogucka.

German guest was also hosted by the Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights dr Hanna Machińska and Mr. Tomasz Oklejak – Head of the Division for Soldiers and Officers of the Uniformed Services. During the meeting the activities of the Ombudsman Bureau were presented and issues regarding uniformed services officers were discussed (for example, the latest provisions changing pensions for uniformed services, as well as media reports about violent police behavior towards citizens).

Within the programme of his exchange German judge paid furthermore working visits in the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court, Department of National Defence of the Supreme Chamber of Control and Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, as well as he met the representatives of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

 

13 September 2018

On 13 September 2018 the conference “Challenges of Law in the Context of Sustainable Development and Global Change. Public Law Perspective” was held at the seat of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC). The conference was organized by the Supreme Administrative Court and the Faculty of Law and Administration University of Łódź. The meeting was was attended by representatives of the scientific community, practitioners and law theorists, as well as foreign guests, i.a.: Ms. Renee Gift from UNESCO and Ms. Saori Ogura from the University of British Columbia.

On behalf of the President of the SAC, dr hab. prof. UAM Wojciech Sawczyn opened the conference with a speech concerning the boundaries of administrative law. The inaugural lecture titled “UNESCO Conventions and Sustainable Development” was delivered by prof. dr hab. Sławomir Ratajski, Secretary General of the Polish National Commission for UNESCO.

Participants discussed within three panels over issues concerning the relationship between the principle of sustainable development and environmental law. The presentations included, in particular, the role of UNESCO and the International Hydrological Programme in promoting peace through water cooperation, as well as social involvement in devising strategies for climate resilient communities. The scope of implementation of sustainable development and legal mechanisms for sustainable development from the perspective of the Regional Inspection for Environmental Protection were also considered. John Rawls' theory of justice as a new approach to environmental law was also presented.

 

6 September 2018

On 6 September 2018 the group of judges and prosecutors from France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Spain visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in collaboration with Polish member of the EJTN – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC:  judge Andrzej Kuba and Mr Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut, chief specialist at Domestic and Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

Judge Andrzej Kuba welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts, everyday work of judges of the SAC and judicial system's reform in Poland. Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut presented the structure, position, functions and competences of Polish administrative judiciary, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by the representative of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division.

The visit also included visiting the courtrooms.

 

22 August 2018

On 22 August 2018 representatives of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences - Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duc Minh (Director of the Institute of State and Law of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) and Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc accompanied by representatives of the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC).

Guests were received by representatives of the SAC: the Vice-President of the Court, dr hab. prof. UŁ Jacek Chlebny – President of the General Administrative Chamber, Mr. Robert Borek from the Administrative & Economic Department and dr Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak from the Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC. During the meeting the general aspects of administrative judiciary in Poland were presented by the President Chlebny. The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

2-6 July 2018

On 2-6 July 2018 Dr. Eva Wendler – judge of the Federal Administrative Court in Vienna -  branch office in Graz (Austria) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the Specialized Exchange Programme on Asylum/Refugee law, organised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay judge Wendler was hosted by the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. She had occasion to familiarise himself with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber, its divisions, especially of its 2^nd Divison competent to decide on foreigners and asylum cases.

Moreover Dr. Wendler visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (the VAC) where he met VAC judges – Vice-President of that Court Paweł Groński and Teresa Zyglewska, the President of the 4^th Division, directing the division competent to decide on asylum/refugee cases. She observed also court hearings in foreigners and asylum cases in the VAC in Warsaw and held working meeting with the VAC judge prof. UW dr hab. Tomasz Stawecki from the 7^th Division of that Court. Dr. Eva Wendler was also hosted by the Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights Dr. Hanna Machińska and her collaborators.

Within the programme of his exchange Austrian judge paid furthermore working visits in Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, in United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the Refugee Board, in the Centre for Foreigners (Mothers and Children) of the Office for Foreigners in Warszawa-Targówek and also in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).

 

18 – 22 June 2018

On 18 – 22  June 2018 Mr Hubert Delesalle – judge of the Nantes Administrative Court of Appeal and the National Court of Asylum in Paris (France) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) within the framework of the Specialized Exchange Programme on Asylum/Refugee law, organised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay judge Delesalle was hosted by judge of the SAC Małgorzata Miron – Deputy President of the 2^nd Division of the General Administrative Chamber. He had occasion to familiarise himself with the practical aspects of functioning of that Chamber and of its 2^nd Divison competent to decide on foreigners and asylum cases. He held also working meeting with the SAC judge Roman Wiatrowski from Financial Chamber.

Moreover he visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (the VAC) where he met VAC judges – Vice-Presidents of that Court: Paweł Groński and Alojzy Skrodzki. Judge Delesalle met also judge Teresa Zyglewska, the President of the 4^th Division, directing the division competent to decide on asylum/refugee cases. He observed also court hearings in foreigners and asylum cases in the SAC and in the VAC in Warsaw.

Within the programme of his exchange judge Delesalle paid also visits in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), in the Office of the Commissioner for Citizens' Rights, in United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the Refugee Board, in the Centre for Foreigners (Mothers and Children) of the Office for Foreigners in Warszawa-Targówek and also in NGO - Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

 

15 June 2018

On 15 June 2018 the group of judges and prosecutors from Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Spain visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in collaboration with Polish member – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: Mr Andrzej Kuba - judge of the Commercial Chamber of the SAC and Mr Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut, chief specialist at Domestic and Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC. Judge Andrzej Kuba welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts and everyday work of judges of the SAC, Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut presented the structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by the representatives of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution: Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division and Dariusz Szawurski-Radetz – judges assistant.

The visit included also the participation in court’s hearing before the 1^st Division of the General Administrative Chamber of SAC.

 

11-13 June 2018

On 11 -13 June 2018, a seminar "How to Handle Court Proceedings Invoking Non-Compliance with EU Environmental Assessment Law – Focus on EIA and SEA Dircectives" organized by the European Law Academy in Trier (ERA) within the support of the “Cooperation with National Judges in the field of Environmental Law” programme of the European Union, took place at the seat of the Supreme Administrative Court.

The seminar was opened by Vice-President of SAC, judge prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny - President of the General Administrative Chamber and Dr. Kleoniki Pouikli – Courrse Director in European Public Law Unit of ERA. The seminar was designed to provide the participants with an overview of both the EU legislation – EIA and SEA Directives and the most recent related CJEU case law on EU environmental assessment law. In the Warsaw workshop participated, among others speakers and judges from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.

 

3-7 June 2018

On 3-7 June 2018 in the Supreme Administrative Court a delegation from the Lithuanian administrative courts, composed of: Gintaras Kryževičius (President of the Supreme Administrative Court), Ramūnas Gadliauskas (Judge of the Supreme Administrative Court and President of the Lithuanian Judges Association), Veslava Ruskan (Judge of the Supreme Administrative Court) and Jolanta Malijauskienė (President of the Vilnius District Administrative Court) visited the Polish Supreme Administrative Court (SAC).
The delegation had a meeting with the representatives of the SAC Management and the judges of the SAC, during which the competences and functioning of administrative courts in Poland and Lithuania were discussed. Subsequently, the delegation went to a meeting with representatives of the Management of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw, where it was acquainted with the organisation of the largest administrative court in Poland as well as with current problems in this court's case-law. During the visit in Poland, the delegation was hosted also by the Management and Judges of the Voivodship Administrative Court in Kielce. In Kielce, the guests listened to a lecture given by the judge Mirosław Surma on the history and specifics of the proceedings before administrative courts in Poland. Also the efficiency of proceedings before administrative courts, recent reforms of administrative and administrative court proceedings as well as organisation of work and practical aspects of the work of an judge were discussed.

 

20-22 May 2018

On 20-22 May 2018 the Supreme Administrative Court visited three-member delegation of the Supreme Court of  the Slovak Republic, chaired by the President of the Supreme Court Ms. Daniela Švecova. The visit was received by Prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski - President of the Supreme Administrative Court, Vice-President of the SAC: Janusz Drachal  - President of the Commercial Chamber and Maria Wiśniewska – Director of the Judicial Decisons Bureau as well as by SAC Judge Małgorzata Niezgódka-Medek – representative of the Polish-Czech working group of administrative judges.

Within the programme of the visit it took place the seminar on constitutional position, competences, organizational structure and functioning of administrative judiciary in Poland and in Slovakia, with participation of President of the SAC Prof. Marek Zirk-Sadowski, SAC judges, members of the Judicial Decisions Bureau and legal specialists from the Judicial Decisions Bureau, the Court Information Division and the Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

The President of the SAC Prof. Marek Zirk-Sadowski welcomed all guests and opened the seminar. The Polish speakers presented the systemic changes in the administration of justice in Poland, with a particular focus on administrative judiciary, the issue of the interpretation of law in conformity with the Constitution  in case-law of administrative courts and the reforms of administrative and administrative court proceedings.

In turn, the members of the Slovak delegation presented the constitutional position, structure, organization and competences of the Slovak Supreme Court, in particular the Administrative Chamber of this Court, as well as legal issues arising from current case-law. Also the legal instruments safeguarding the unity of administrative court jurisprudence used in both national jurisdictions have been discussed.

The Presidents of both Supreme Courts highlighted the importance and significance of the independence of the judiciary for the bilateral contacts, based on mutual trust. They declared also willingness to continue the cooperation between Polish and Slovak judges within working group of administrative judges.

 

18 May 2018

At the seat of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) a meeting with a delegation of the Ministry of Justice of Hungary, under the chairmanship of dr. Barnabás Hajas - director of the Department of Special Affairs, was held.

The SAC was represented by the Vice-President of the Court, Director of the Judicial Decision Bureau – SAC judge Maria Wiśniewska, Deputy Director of the Judicial Decision Bureau, SAC judge Jerzy Siegień, SAC judge Marian Wolanin - Head of 1^st Division of the Judicial Decision Bureau and Marta Kulikowska - Head of the Domestic and Foreign Relations in The Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

Due to the administrative courts’ reform planned in Hungary, the main topic of the meeting was the constitutional position, competences, organizational structure and  functioning of administrative judiciary in Poland, with particular emphasis on the supervision of the President of the SAC over administrative courts. During the discussion the appointment of  candidates for the position of a judge, the election of presidents and vice-presidents of administrative courts, as well as the methods of training of administrative judges were also presented. The jurisdiction of administrative courts, the division of cognitions between administrative courts and common courts as well as matters that are the exclusive competence of the Supreme Administrative Court were discussed.

 

10-11 May 2018

On 10-11 May 2018 the 2nd Luso-Polish scientific conference „Democratic Legitimization of the Judicial Rulings Influence on a System of Law Making” was held in the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC). The conference was organized by the Supreme Administrative Court and the Center for the Theory and Philosophy of Human Rights of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Łódź in cooperation with the University of Coimbra.

The academics from University of Coimbra, University of Łódź, Adam-Mickiewicz-University in Poznań, Jan-Długosz Academy in Częstochowa, judges and legal specialists from Supreme Administrative Court took part in the conference.

The president of the SAC prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski and SAC judge dr hab. prof. UŁ Bartosz Wojciechowski – Director of the Center for the Theory and Philosophy of Human Rights and Head of the European Law Division of the SAC Judicial Decisions Bureau  welcomed all participants.

Within first session regarding discursive role of the case-law in relation to law making and role of the legal interpretation  as a  „mediation” between the text of law and its judicial application the papers were presented by prof. José Manuel Aroso Linhares from Coimbra University and by prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski. The second session was devoted to the concept of law and jurispruidence as economic analyzed phenomenon and as a communication medium. The papers within that session were presented by dr hab. prof. UŁ Mariusz J. Golecki, dr Ana Margarida Gaudêncio and dr Inês Godinho. Within the last panel of the conference concerning the law as a expression of culture and judicial dialogue between national courts and ECtHR and the influence of its case-law on national law the following participants took the floor: dr hab. prof. AJD Anna Kalisz, Ms Brisa Paim Duarte, dr Anna Chmielarz-Grochal and Ms Dorota Pawlicka, as well as dr hab. prof. UŁ Bartosz Wojciechowski and dr hab. prof. UAM Karolina Cern.

 

7-11 May 2018 

On 7-11  May 2018 Mr. Ciaran White – member of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal in Dublin visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (the SAC) within the framework of the Specialized Exchange Programme on Asylum/Refugee law, organised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During his stay Mr. Ciaran White met with the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – the President of the General Administrative Chamber, judge Jolanta Rudnicka - the Deputy of the President of the 1^st Division of the General Administrative Chamber and other judges adjudicating in the SAC. He also had occasion to familiarise himself with practical aspects of functioning of the General Administrative Chamber and the Judicial Decisions Bureau.

Moreover he visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (the VAC) where he was hosted by judge Paweł Groński - the Vice-President of the VAC and judge Teresa Zyglewska - the President of the 4^th Division competent to decide on asylum/refugee cases. He also observed court hearings in the SAC and in the VAC in Warsaw.

Within the programme of his exhange Mr. Ciaran White also paid visits in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), in NGO - Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, in the Refugee Board and also in the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights.

 

24 April 2018

On 24 April 2018 a group of students from the Law School of China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing accompanied by scientific supervisors and Polish students from the Warsaw University visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organised within the cooperation between the Law School of China University of Political Science and Law and the Warsaw University. The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: Judge Andrzej Kuba, Robert Borek - from the Administrative & Economic Department of the SAC and dr Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak from the Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC. During the meeting practical aspects of judges activity and activities of the SAC, as well as an outline of constitutional and legal position of administrative courts in Poland and the history of the current building of the Court were presented. The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

28 March 2018

On 28 March 2018 the group of students from Faculty of Law of François Rabelais University of Tours visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organised within the cooperation between the French university and Polish partners – Faculty of Law and Administration of University of Łódź and Warsaw University Centre for Studies in Local Government and Development. The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: Judge Sylwester Marciniak - Deputy President of the Court Information Division, Robert Borek - from the Administrative & Economic Department and Małgorzata Szyszkowska and Dr. Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak from the Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC. During the meeting practical aspects of judges activity and activities of the SAC, as well as outline of constitutional and legal position of administrative courts in Poland and the history of the current building of the Court were presented. The group of French students was accompanied by Prof. Patrick Baleynaud (Université François-Rabelais de Tours) – Honorary Consul of Poland in Tours and Co-director of French Law School of University of Łódź and Dr. Beata Marczeska – researcher from Warsaw University Centre for Studies in Local Government and Development. The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

2017

 

14-21 December 2017

On 14-21 December 2017 the group of judges from Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Serbia visited Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) and Voivodship Administrative Court in Warszawa (VAC), within the framework of the Programme of study visits for asylum law judges organised by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).
The co-organizers of the study visit were SAC and VAC Warsaw.
During their stay judges met with Vice-President of the Court, Prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – President of the General Administrative Chamber and EASO National Contact Point, judge Zofia Flasińska – President of the 2nd Division of the General Administrative Chamber, judge Teresa Zyglewska – President of the 4th Division of the VAC Warsaw and Maria Antonia Gonzalez – legal officer of the EASO Asylum Support Unit.
During the meetings the questions of Polish national asylum system, asylum case-law of Polish administrative courts, jurisdiction and proceedings before SAC and VAC and activities of EASO Courts and Tribunals Network  were presented and discussed.
The visiting judges observed the court hearings before SAC and VAC. The judges also paid a visit to the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, to the Office for Foreigners and they have also occasion to meet a member of the Refugee Board. Moreover the study visit included meetings at the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).

 

4-8 December 2017

On 4 – 8  December 2017 Mr Pierre Sanson – judge of the Administrative Court of Lille (France) visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (the SAC) within the framework of the Specialized Exchange Programme on Asylum/Refugee law, organised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During the stay judge Sanson met with the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – President of the General Administrative Chamber. He also had occasion to familiarise himself with the practical aspects of functioning of the General Administrative Chamber.

Moreover he visited the Voivodship Administrative Court in Warsaw (the VAC) where he was hosted by the President of the 4^th Division judge Teresa Zyglewska, directing the division competent to decide on asylum/refugee cases. He observed also court hearings in the SAC and in the VAC in Warsaw.

Within the programme of his exhange judge Sanson paid also visits in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), in the Office of the Commissioner for Citizens' Rights, in United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representation in Poland, in the Office for Foreigners, in the Refugee Board and also in NGO - Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

 

28 November 2017

On 28 November 2017 the group of academics and students from Kazan, Kazakhstan and Georgia, interning at the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw (FLA UW), visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC).

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Andrzej Kuba, Robert Borek, chef specialist in the Administrative & Economic Department of the SAC and dr Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak, legal specialist at the Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of SAC. Judge Andrzej Kuba welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts and everyday work of judges of the SAC, Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak presented the structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. The history of the current buildings of the Court was presented by Robert Borek.

The group was accompanied by dr Jarosław Turłukowski  – the representative of the Dean of the FLA UW for Eastern Cooperation.

The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

15-17 November 2017

On 15 – 17 November the delegation of Ukrainian supreme courts judges and academics from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv paid the study visit in the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland. The Ukrainian delegation comprised: Prof. Oleksandr Paseniuk – President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Administrative Judges, retired judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine; Professor Oleh Tkachuk – judge prof. Oleh Tkachuk – judge of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, Professor Danil Getmantsev (Professor of Financial Law Department at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv), Natalia Shaptala – judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, dr Natalia Blazhivska – judge of the High Administrative Court of Ukraine, Vice-President of the  All-Ukrainian Association of Administrative Judges and Angelika Tkachuk – lawyer, PhD student and lecturer of Taras Shevchenko National University. The meeting was also attended by dr Edith Zeller – judge of the Administrative Court of Vienna, President of the Association of the European Administrative Judges (AEAJ).

 

On behalf of the President of the SAC the delegation was received by Maria Wiśniewska – the Vice-President of the SAC and the Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau within the meeting attended by the representatives of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, judges of the SAC and the Chancellery of the President of the SAC.

Within the programme of the visit it took place also the Polish-Ukrainian seminar “The Reforms of Supreme Judiciary in Poland and in Ukraine”, with participation of Vice-President – Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, judges - heads of divisions of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, judges and officials of the SAC. Professor dr hab. Bartosz Wojciechowski – Head of the European Law Division of the Judicial Decisions Bureau welcomed all guests and opened the seminar. During the first part of the seminar there were delivered lectures on: historical aspects of the establishment of the administrative courts in Ukraine, constitutional status of administrative justice in Ukraine, the evolution of the cassation proceedings before Ukrainian supreme courts, the main features of judicial system's reform in Poland, European models of the supreme courts: their role in unifying (harmonization) of case-law and their constitutional position. The second part of the seminar was devoted to: new procedural instruments under the Ukrainian Code of Administrative Justice 2017, advantages and disadvantages of Ukrainian administrative justice innovations in resolving tax disputes, reform of 2015 of the procedural instruments in Polish administrative court proceedings and the status of the supreme court judge from universalistic and legal-philosophical perspective.

The Ukrainian guests paid also visits the Law Clinic of the Faculty of Law and Administration of University of Lodz and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Lodz.

 

23 October 2017

On 23 October 2017 the President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland Prof. Marek Zirk-Sadowski received at the seat of SAC Mr García-Sayán – United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers – former minister of justice and minister of foreign affairs of Peru, as well as former judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

During the meeting the constitutional crisis around the Polish Constitutional Tribunal, current state of Polish legislation concerning Constitutional Tribunal and Polish courts and its compatibility with international law standards were discussed.

The meeting was also attended by Vice-President of the SAC, dr hab. prof. UŁ Jacek Chlebny – President of the General Administrative Chamber and Mr Stefano Sensi – Human Rights Officer from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

 

25 September – 6 October  2017 (Warsaw / Gdańsk)

On 25 September – 6 October 2017 Mrs. Renate Trenz – judge of the Administrative Court of Saarland (Germany) - liaison officer of the European Asylum Support Office at that Court - visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) and the Voivodship Administrative Court in Gdańsk, within the framework of the Exchange Programme organised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN).

During her stay judge Trenz met with the Vice-President of the SAC, prof. UŁ dr hab. Jacek Chlebny – President of the General Administrative Chamber and with judge Jerzy Siegień – Deputy Head of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC. Moreover she visited the Voivodship Administrative Court (VAC) in Warsaw. During second part of the exchange programme in VAC in Gdańsk German judge was hosted by the President of that Court SAC judge Zbigniew Romała and SAC judge Joanna Zdzienicka-Wiśniewska – President of the Court Information Division.

She also observed mock court trial at SAC, court hearings in the VACs in Warsaw and Gdańsk and also in the District Court in Gdańsk. She held a number of working meetings with the judges of these Courts.

Judge Trenz within the programme of her stay in Poland paid also visit in the Office of the Commissioner for Citizens' Rights, in the National Council of Judiciary, in the Refugee Board, in the Office for Foreigners and in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).

An important event of the visit was a lecture on administrative justice in Germany given by the guest to judges, court referendaries and judge assistants of VAC in Gdańsk. During the lecture judge Trenz shared some comparative remarks concerning both (Polish and German) judiciary systems and proceedings.

 

2 October 2017

On 2 October 2017 the group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Romania visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in collaboration with Polish member – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of the SAC: judge Sylwester Marciniak, Deputy President of the Court Information Division; Robert Borek, chef specialist in the Economic & Administration Division of the SAC; Marta Kulikowska, Head of Domestic and Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of the SAC and Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak, legal specialist at this team. Judge Sylwester Marciniak welcomed guests and answered questions concerning judicial procedure in administrative courts and everyday work of judges of the SAC, Marta Sarnowiec-Cisłak presented the structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. The history of the current buildings of the Court was presented by Robert Borek.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by Ms Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

4 September 2017

On 4 September 2017 the group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Lithuania, Italy, Romania, Portugal, Sweden and Hungary visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in collaboration with Polish member – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of SAC: judge Andrzej Kuba, Hieronim Kulczycki -  Head of Economic & Administration Division of the Chancellery of the President of SAC and Przemysław Florjanowicz-Błachut, legal specialist at the Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of SAC. During the meeting practical aspects of judges activity and activities of SAC, as well as outline of constitutional and legal position of administrative courts in Poland and the history of the current building of the Court were presented.

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by Ms Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

17 June – 1 July 2017

On 17 June – 1 July 2017 Mrs. Adriana Andonie from the Court of Appeal in Târgu Mureş visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) in the framework of the Exchange Programme oganised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN). During her stay Mrs. Andonie met with Vice-President of the Court, judge Maria Wiśniewska – Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau and the Vice-President of the Court, judge Janusz Drachal – President of the Commercial Chamber. Moreover, she visited the Voivodship Administrative Court (WSA) in Warsaw and observed court hearings in the SAC and WSA in Warsaw.

As part of the exchange programme, judge Adriana Andonie held a number of working meetings with the judges of the SAC and WSA in Warsaw. She paid also visits in the Supreme Court of Poland, the National Council of the Judiciary of Poland, the Office of the Commissioner for Citizens' Rights and in the Office for Foreigners in Poland and European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).

During the visit, judge Adriana Andonie gave a lecture on administrative justice in Romania to the judges and staff of the SAC.

 

21 June 2017

On 21 June 2017 the group of judges and prosecutors from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Portugal and Spain visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organized within Exchange Programme of the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) in collaboration with Polish member – National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The group was received by the representatives of SAC: judge Prof. UŁ dr hab. Bartosz Wojciechowski -  Head of the European Law Division of the Judicial Decisions Bureau, Hieronim Kulczycki -  Head of Economic & Administration Division of the Chancellery of the President of SAC, Marta Kulikowska – Head of the Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Chancellery of the President of SAC and Dr. Anna Chmielarz-Grochal – assistant-specialist at the European Law Division.

Judge of SAC Prof. Bartosz Wojciechowski presented lecture “[Judicial] Justification as the Limitation of the Discretionary Power of the Administrative Judge”. Dr. Anna Chmielarz-Grochal presented the structure, position, functions and competences of administrative judiciary in Poland, with special reference to Supreme Administrative Court. Ms. Marta Kulikowska introduced the participants of the meeting with competences of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, including supervisory competences relating to effectiveness of court proceedings and jurisprudence of administrative courts. The history of the current buildings of the Court was presented by Mr. Hieronim Kulczycki. 

The group of foreign judges and prosecutors was accompanied by Ms. Katarzyna Krysiak – prosecutor and chief specialist at the International Cooperation Division of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution.

The visit also included visiting the court’s building.

 

30 May 2017

On 30^th of May 2017 the Supreme Administrative Court visited four-member delegation of the Council of Judiciary of the Republic of Armenia, staying in Poland at the invitation of the National Council of the Judiciary. The delegation was chaired by the President of the Court of Cassation Arman Mkrtumyan - Chairman of the Council. On behalf of the President of the SAC the visit was received by Jan Rudowski – the Vice-President of the SAC and the President of the Financial Chamber. During the meeting the history and the organization of the administrative judiciary in Poland, including the solutions resulting from reforms of 2004 were presented. Also the issue of legal institution of pre-trial proceedings (leave to appeal) was discussed.

The participants discussed the similarities and differences between Armenian and Polish administrative court system. The Armenian guests were interested in particular in issues regarding: the settlement of the ratione materiae questions between ordinary courts and administrative courts (including Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court); resolutions of the SAC adopted in order to explain legal issues raising considerable doubts and differences in case-law of administrative courts; the role of Ombudsman and the Public Prosecution Office in administrative courts proceedings, as well as courts statistics, including cases filed in the administrative courts of first instance and SAC.

 

17 May 2017

On 17^th of May 2017 the Supreme Administrative Court visited five-member delegation of the Council of Judiciary of the Slovak Republic, staying in Poland at the invitation of the National Council of the Judiciary. The delegation was chaired by Jana Bajánková - Chairman of the Council, Judge of the Supreme Court. On the behalf of the President of the SAC the visit was received by Janusz Drachal – the Vice-President of the SAC and the President of the Commercial Chamber. During the meeting the structure of the administrative judiciary in Poland, with particular regard to the Supreme Administrative Court, the jurisdiction of individual chambers of the Court, and also the competences of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court and the Office of Jurisprudence were discussed. The others topics of the discussion were the budgetary issues related to the administrative judiciary, as well as the functioning of the judicial system in Poland and Slovakia.
Moreover, during the meeting, Vice-President Janusz Drachal expressed his hope that the Czech-Polish judges working group, which has been operating since 2012, would be expanded and Slovakian judges will be able to participate in its work.

 

26 April 2017

On 26th of April 2017 Huang Yongqing, Ding Peng, Chen Xu and Wang Dan, the group of scholars from the University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). Their visit in Poland was organized by the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw. On the behalf of the President of the SAC the visit was received by Professor Jacek Chlebny - the President of the General Administrative Chamber and Vice-president of the SAC. During the visit the constitutional and statutory bases of the position of administrative courts in Poland were discussed, specifically the issue of ratione materiae. Professor Jacek Chlebny stressed the promptness and efficiency of the proceedings before the voivodship administrative courts, while scholars taking part in the visit indicated the differences between the administrative courts in Poland and China, where there is a lack of administrative courts separated from the common courts.

 

1-15 April 2017

On April 1 - 15 2017 Professor Harald Dörig, the vice-presiding judge of the 1. Senate of the Federal Administrative Court of Germany and Honorary Professor of the Friedrich-Schiller University in Jena, visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC) and Voivodeship Administrative Court in Cracow (WSA). During his stay Professor Harald Dörig met with Professor Marek Zirk-Sadowski - the President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland. Moreover, Professor Dörig visited the General Administrative Chamber of the SAC and Voivodeship Administrative Courts in Cracow and Warsaw. He also observed court hearings in the SAC and WSA in Cracow. Professor Dörig paid also visits in the Supreme Court of Poland, the National Council of the Judiciary of Poland, the Office of the Commissioner for Citizens' Rights and, in connection with his jurisprudence interests, in the Office for Foreigners in Poland and European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). During the visit, Judge Harald Dörig gave a number of lectures on administrative justice in Germany, in particular to the judges and staff of the SAC and the WSA in Cracow.

 

5-7 April, 2017

On 5-7 April, a seminar "How to Handle Court Proceedings Invoking Non-Compliance with EU Water Law" organized by the European Law Academy in Trier (ERA) took place at the seat of the Supreme Administrative Court. The seminar was opened by: Vice President of SAC, judge Jacek Chlebny - President of the General Administrative Chamber and Deputy Director of ERA Jean-Philippe Rageade - Program Director. The seminar was designed to provide the participants with an overview of both the EU legislation and the most recent related CJEU case law on water.

 

29 March 2017

At the seat of the Supreme Administrative Court held a meeting with the delegation of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Ukraine chaired by Ivan Lishchyna - Government Agent before the European Court of Human Rights. The delegation was accompanied by Justyna Chrzanowska - Agent of the Minister for Foreign Affairs before the ECHR.
In a meeting run by the SAC judge, Head of the European Law Division in the Judicial Decisions Office - prof. Bartosz Wojciechowski, participated the representatives of the SAC.
The practical aspects of the enforcement of ECHR judgments, especially the cooperation between national institutions in both countries were discussed. Judge Wojciechowski presented experience of polish administrative courts in this filed and Ms. Justyna Chrzanowska emphasized excellent cooperation between the SAC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The enforcement of administrative courts’ judgments by administrative authorities in Poland and in Ukraine was also discussed.

 

27 March 2017

On 27 March the Supreme Administrative Court visited delegation of the High Council of the Justice of Ukraine, staying in Poland at the invitation of the National Council of the Judiciary. The delegation was chaired by the judge Igor Benedysiuk - the Chairman of the Council and accompanied by the President of the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court, judge Dariusz Zawistowski - the Chairman of the National Council of Judiciary.

The delegation was received by the President of the Supreme Administrative Court prof. dr hab. Marek Zirk-Sadowski together with the representatives of the management of the Court. During the meeting, the organization, role and functioning of the High Council of Justice as well as the position of the Polish administrative courts were discussed. The role of courts in the process of review the constitutionality of law was also discussed.

During the meeting the President of the NSA stressed the dynamics of judicial reform in Ukraine, while the President of the High Council stated that the Polish experience in the area of ​​justice is a source of inspiration for Ukraine. The delegation was accompanied by Andrii Kazakin from the Council of Europe, "Support for the introduction of judicial reform in Ukraine" project manager.

 

21 March 2017

Pierre-Yves Le Borgn, Member of the Committee on Legal Matters and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, met with the representatives of the Supreme Administrative Court, headed by the Deputy Director of the Judicial Decisions Bureau of the SAC, Judge Jerzy Siegień.

The main topic of the discussion was enforcement of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights by administrative courts. The length of administrative proceedings were discussed, as well as the issues of popularization and the application of jurisprudence of the ECtHR by administrative courts in Poland.

 

15 March 2017
On 15 March 2017 the group of students from Faculty of Law of François Rabelais University of Tours visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland (SAC). The visit has been organised within the cooperation between of French university with Polish partners – Faculty of Law and Administration of University of Łódź and Warsaw University Centre for Studies in Local Government and Development.
The group was received by the representatives of SAC: Judge Andrzej Kuba - President of the 2 nd Division of the Commercial Chamber of SAC, Hieronim Kulczycki - Head of Economic & Administration Division of Chancellery of the President of SAC and Marta Kulikowska – Head of Domestic & Foreign Relations, team in the Legal&Organizational Department in the Chancellery of the President of SAC . During the meeting practical aspects of judges activity and activities of SAC, as well as outline of constitutional and legal position of administrative courts in Poland and the history of the current building of the Court were presented.
The group of French students was accompanied by Prof. Patrick Baleynaud ( Université François-Rabelais de Tours) – Honorary Consul of Poland in Tours and Co-director of French Law School of University of Łódź and Dr. Beata Marczeska – researcher from Warsaw University Centre for Studies in Local Government and Development . The visit also included mock court trial and visiting the court’s building.

 

26 January 2017

On 26 January 2017 the delegation of the Netherlands Council for the Judiciary visited the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland. The Delegation was led by Chairman of the Netherlands Council for the Judiciary Judge Frits Bakker – member of the Executive Board of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ). On behalf of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, the delegation was received by Vice-President of the Court Judge Jacek Chlebny, LL.D. LL.D. (habilitated) – the President of the General Administrative Chamber. During the meeting were discussed inter alia: organisation of Polish administrative judiciary, the length of the proceedings before courts in Poland and in the Netherlands and the mediation proceedings before the administrative courts in both countries.