Decision on the number of interparliamentary delegations, delegations to joint parliamentary committees and delegations to parliamentary cooperation committees and to multilateral parliamentary assemblies

The European Parliament, on a proposal from the Conference of Presidents, adopted a decision on the number of interparliamentary delegations, delegations to joint parliamentary committees and delegations to parliamentary cooperation committees and to multilateral parliamentary assemblies.

The regional groupings of delegations would be as follows:

·        Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey.

·        Russia and the Eastern Partnership states.

·        Maghreb, Mashreq, Israel and Palestine.

·        The Arab Peninsula, Iraq and Iran.

·        The Americas.

·        Asia/Pacific.

·        Africa.

·        Multilateral assemblies.

The Conference of Delegation Chairs should draw up a draft six-monthly calendar, to be adopted by the Conference of Presidents after consulting the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Development and the Committee on International Trade, on the understanding, however, that the calendar may be modified in order to respond to political events.

Parliament also decided to intensify cooperation with and consultation of the committees concerned by delegation work by organising joint meetings between these bodies in its usual places of work.

In practice, efforts will be made so that one or more committee rapporteurs or chairs can also take part in the proceedings of delegations, joint interparliamentary committees, parliamentary cooperation committees and multilateral parliamentary assemblies.

The decision would enter into force at the first part-session of the eighth parliamentary term.