The Public Benefit Works Council is a consultative and advisory body to the Minister competent for social security appointed on the basis of the Act of 24 April 2003 on public benefit activities and voluntary work (JO L No. 96, item 873, as amended) and the Ordinance of the Minister of Economy, Labour and Social Policy of 4 August 2003 on Public Benefit Works Council (JO L No. 147, item 1431).

The Public Benefit Works Council was appointed for the first time on 27 November 2003.

Council meetings are held as needed, not less often than once every two months.

The Council’s works are directed by two co-presidents chosen from among the Council members, who are:

• a representative of governmental administration authorities and of units supervised by or reporting to such authorities, and territory self-government units;
• a representative of non-governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations’ unions and associations, and entities referred to in Article3(3) of the Act, chosen by the members of the Council who are representatives of those organisations, associations, agreements and entities.

The Council may establish ad hoc problem teams.

The Public Benefit Works Council is the only newly established body institutionalising the rule of civic dialogue and cooperation between public sector and the third sector. The Council is a supplement of the Institutions realising the rule of civic dialogue and is situated by the Joint Committee of the Government and Territorial Self-Government, the Joint Committee of the Government and Episcopate, and the Tripartite Commission for Social and Economic Affairs.

Composition of the Council

In accordance with Article 36 of the Act on Public Benefit Activities and Voluntary Work, the Council is composed of 20 members:

• five representatives of governmental administration authorities, and of units supervised by or reporting to such authorities;
• five representatives of local self-government authorities;
• ten representatives of non-governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations’ unions and associations, and entities referred to in Article 3(3) of the Act on public benefit activities and voluntary work.

The minister responsible for social security shall appoint and dismiss the Council members. The Council’s term of office is 3 years, however, the first term of office lasted 2 years.

In accordance with Article 36(2) of the Act of 24 April 2003 on Public Benefit and Volunteer Work (JO L 2003 No. 96, item 873), on 15 January 2006, the minister responsible for social security appointed the new composition of the Council for the term of office 2006 - 2009.

The rules and mode of appointment of members of the PBWC are set by the Article 36(2) of 24 April 2003 on Public Benefit and Volunteer Work (JO L No. 96, item 873) and articles 2-8 of the Ordinance of the Minister of Economy, Labour and Social Policy of 4 August 2003 on Public Benefit Works Council (JO L No. 147, item 1431).

In the subjective sense, the character and composition of the Council correspond with its functions, area of public benefit and the structure of institutions related to the realisation of goals of the Act.

Appointment of candidates for the Public Benefit Works Council is based on the rules of:

• adequacy - understood as mutual relation between the area of public benefit and the number of non-government organisations operating in the area, and the scope of problems within the competence of entities of public administration;
• authority - understood as common recognition of experience and merit of a candidate;
• competence - being a significant part of the candidate’s authority;
• representativeness - understood as internal appointment of competent candidates for the Council confirmed by a democratic procedure.

The composition of the Council reflects the negotiated and included in the Act’s project parity of members, considering their affiliation to the relevant sector (non-governmental organisations, territory self-governments, government administration).

By the decision of Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Minister of Labour and Social Policy, the IV term of office Public Benefit Works Council was appointed on 28 April 2012.