What problem are you solving?:

The main problems:1) low transparency of the Polish MEPs activities in the European Parliament,2) small knowledge about decision procedures in the EP,3) lack of any watchdog website screening and assessing work of the Polish MEPs and the UE decision making process in Poland. The identified problem is caused by: 1)information gap between the Polish representatives in the EU and Polish citizens, caused by lack of tools for monitoring and evaluating of the Polish MEPs activities! 2)Polish citizens are unwilling to vote in the EP elections because they do not know how and according to what criteria assess the Polish MEPs’ work. The EP is the place were real decisions are made-concerning life of an everyday Polish citizen (energy security, budgetary issues). Thus it is no indifferent who represents Poland in the EP and how effectively fulfill his/her obligations to Polish citizens and the EU.

Describe your idea:

The MEP’s watch dog website www.europoslowie.ik.org.pl will consist of 3 dimensions: 1)monitoring, 2)information, 3)two-way communication:
1)In 2009 the Institute prepared the first in Poland ranking of the Polish MEPs. The criteria from it (11 macro and 49 micro criteria) evaluating the MEPs’ work will be used on the website- it will be updated monthly and will serve as stimulation to their reliable work
2)The website will offer complex, professional information about the EP functioning, core issues on the EP political and legislative agenda. It will help to understand that decisions made in the EU are crucial for Polish citizens and are equally important as the domestic ones
3)The project will serve as a platform of communication between MEPs and their electorate. Due to wide range of different options website’s users will be able to directly present their opinion to the politicians – also politicians will be able to establish relations with the electorate

What country will this operate in?: Poland

Who are you?:

The Kosciuszko Institute – Institute for European Integration is a non-governmental Think Tank. Mission: create ideas with practical impact for Poland and the EU, support Polish citizens and public administration in taking part in the European integration by providing recommendations in EU policies, assess work of Polish representatives in the EU, frame priorities of Polish-European policy. The KI cooperates with professional PR and IT company which will ensure the professional implementation of the project.
The KI has great experience in conducting several projects aiming at improvement transparency and effectiveness of the Polish-European policy: 1) first in Poland “Ranking Of The Polish MEPs 2009, 2) expert report evaluating Polish MEPs work in the mid term of the EP, 3) expert project making recommendations for improvement of the Polish-European policy, 4) projects about the Polish Presidency of the EU in 2011.