Identification and elimination of production inefficiencies and wastes in SMEs : An industrial production system analysis case study

On their journey to improve manufacturing processes by implementing Lean and Agile production principles, many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), world- and industry-wide, lose grip after initial efforts, or even abandon their plans later because of many reasons. To support those and similar SMEs and to make their Lean and Agile visions become reality, this thesis report describes the case of a small traditional German wholesale firm in the initial stage of analysing and improving processes, as well as workshop structures according to contemporary literature and manufacturing improvement theories. The results of this report give the management and decision makers of this or similar organisations an idea and valuable recommendations, of how to gain and maintain the advantages of a lean and agile production. Overall it was found that SMEs such as the analysed organisation, need to vigorously implement changes from an overarching systematic level to the very detail of shop floor activities, while equally considering cultural as well as human, technological, and organisational aspects, to be successful

Legal opinion on a project of regulating in a single act financial rules which are applied to general budget of the EU

Adoption of the draft regulation may result in a necessity of change of several Polish statutes. Authors notice that indication of Article 322(2) of TFEU was improper because of the specific goal and content of the regulation. The mentioned provision concerns own resources of UE, while the draft regulation determines EU budgetary rules. Article 322(1) of TFEU should be indicated as a proper legal basis of the proposed regulation. The principle of subsidiarity, in accordance with rules mentioned in Article 2 of the Protocol No. 2 on the Application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality does not affect the analyzed draft regulation. The authors point out that the Council of Ministers did not fulfil its obligation to present a project of opinion on the EU draft act. The authors claim with that the draft regulation should be adopted, but they also point out that many areas covered by the draft should be clarified

Opinion on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council – Towards a more effective and democratic decision-making in the field of EU tax policy, (COM(2019) 8 final)

The purpose of the EU document is to discuss the existing rules on decision-making by the EU institutions in the taxation area, indicate the limits of unanimity in the area of EU and Member States’ tax policies and present an action plan for moving to qualified majority voting, as well as to enhance the role of the European Parliament in this area. From Poland’s point of view the proposed change in the rules for decision-making in tax matters may raise serious doubts as to the link between tax policy and EU political priorities, in particular climate and energy policy. On the basis of the information received, the government takes a negative assessment of the Commission’s proposal to move to qualified majority voting in the area of taxation policy and does not support the endorsement of the Communication’s action plan in this area

Opinion on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain aspects concerning contracts for the online and other distance sale of goods (COM (2015) 635 final)

The aim of the proposed directive is full harmonization of national legislation on consumer goods in relation to conformity with the contract for distance sale, the seller’s liability for lack of conformity of goods with such contract and under the commercial guarantees. The proposal causes no legislative objections. Its entry into force requires implementation through an amendment of the Civil Code. The implementation of the directive may lead to re-fragmentation of the legal system as concerns the liability for the lack of conformity of goods with the contract. In the case, indeed, the implementation of the proposal will mean the creation of a specific rules relating solely to consumer contracts for a distance sale, and will result in establishing a particular legal regime governing the seller’s liability for one of the many types of sales contracts, distinguished upon the way of its conclusion

Opinion on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain aspects concerning contracts for the supply of digital content (COM(2015) 634 final)

The aim of the proposal is to provide a uniform way to fill the current legal gap in those EU Member States which have not yet adopted legislation specifically on supply of digital content, and the harmonization of the legal systems of those countries that have already adopted such a legislation. Its entry into force will prevent particularization of national rules on liability for failure to perform the obligations arising from contracts for the supply of digital content and for the improper performance of obligation, including the lack of conformity of the digital content with the contract. As a result, it will prevent fragmentation of the digital content market. Entry into force of the proposed directive should improve legal protection of consumers in the event of non-compliance with the contract of digital content received from their suppliers. The proposed directive will have a significant impact on the legal situation of suppliers of digital content. Worth consideration is the removal of defects identified in the opinion that raise doubt as to its legislative correctness

Opinion on Poland’s obligation to allow sale in pharmacies of a medicinal product ellaOne without prescription

The opinion deals with the effects of the European Commission Implementing Decision whereby ellaOne is commercially available in all Member States without a prescription. The analysis leads to the conclusion that under the existing law, Poland is obliged to implement the decision of the Executive Committee and the medicinal product ellaOne should be available over-the-counter. Nevertheless, Polish legislature may decide to exclude or restrict the sale or use of medicinal products as contraceptives or abortifacients. Therefore, it is permissible to adopt a regulation to prohibit the sale of ellaOne or adopt provisions specifying that it will be available in Poland only on prescription

Transmission to national parliaments of Ukraine’s application for membership of the European Union

This communication of the Council of the EU concerns the transmission to national Parliaments of Ukraine’s application for the membership in the European Union, thus fulfilling the requirement of Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union laying down the conditions for accession to the European Union. The authors of the opinion stress the historical and primary importance of this application and the political context of its submission

Differences in BNT126b2 and ChAdOx1 Homologous Vaccination Antibody Response among Teachers in Poznan, Poland

Children are among the best vectors to spread respiratory viruses, including emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 due to the asymptomatic or relatively mild course of infection and simultaneously high titres of pathogens in the respiratory tract. Therefore, individuals who have constant contact with children, e.g., teachers should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as essential workers within the first phases of a vaccination campaign. In Poland, primary and secondary school teachers were vaccinated with ChAdOx1 from February 2021 with a three month interval between the two doses, while lecturers at medical universities, who are simultaneously healthcare workers, received the BNT126b2 vaccine from December 2020 with three weeks between the first and second doses. The aim of this study was to compare the antibody responses at two weeks and three months after vaccination and to estimate the vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 among infection-naïve teachers vaccinated with mRNA and a vector vaccine. We found that the anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies were significantly higher among the lecturers but antibody waning was slower among the schoolteachers. However, those vaccinated with ChAdOx1 complained significantly more often of vaccine side effects. In addition, during the three months after the second vaccine dose no study participants were infected with SARS-CoV-2. The BNT126b2 vaccine gave higher antibody titres in comparison with ChAdOx1 but protection against COVID-19 in both cases was similar. Moreover, we did not find any anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein antibodies at two weeks as well as at three months after vaccination among the study participants, which shows a very high vaccine effectiveness in the occupational group with a high SARS-CoV-2-infection risk

Assessment of the general report of the European Commission on the activities of the European Union

The article contains description of the subject matter of the European Commission’s document, as well as its substantive and legal assessment. The authors point out that the report is not controversial. The document issued by the European Commission is correct from the legal point of view and conforms to the adopted work program. Most of the issues described in the report were raised in the course of the year in the form of detailed documents