Interparliamentary Conference on Union’s Affairs

Interparliamentary Conference on Union’s Affairs
Name	Interparliamentary Conference on Union’s Affairs
Region served	European Union
Membership	National parliaments of the EU, European Parliament
Leader title	Co-chairs

Interparliamentary Conference on Union’s Affairs is a forum that brings together members of national legislatures and the European Parliament to discuss matters concerning the European Union and its policies. It serves as a platform for parliamentary dialogue among delegates from the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, national assemblies such as the Bundestag, the Assemblée nationale, the Cámara de Diputados (Spain), and the Saeima to scrutinize proposals and promote democratic oversight. The forum engages with institutions including the European Council, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and agencies like the European Central Bank to link legislative perspectives across member states such as France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.

History

The conference emerged after debates following the Treaty of Lisbon and earlier instruments like the Maastricht Treaty and the Treaty of Nice that reshaped interparliamentary cooperation among bodies including the House of Commons, the Senate (Italy), the Congress of Deputies (Spain), and the Sejm. Initiatives by the European Parliament and national speakers, along with contributions from institutions such as the Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Council of Europe, culminated in formal meetings that echo consultative practices seen at the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe and the European Convention (2002–2003). Prominent legislative events—referenda like those in Ireland, treaty negotiations such as the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, and crises involving the European Stability Mechanism—shaped the conference’s remit.

Mandate and Objectives

The conference’s mandate encompasses parliamentary scrutiny of proposals from the European Commission, debate on policy areas influenced by the Treaty on European Union, and reinforcement of subsidiarity principles invoked alongside rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union. Objectives include enhancing democratic accountability vis-à-vis the European Council, fostering coordination among national presiding officers like the President of the Bundestag and the President of the European Parliament, and facilitating dialogue with actors such as the European Investment Bank, the European External Action Service, and international partners including NATO and the United Nations. It also aims to reflect positions from constitutional chambers like the Senate (France), the Bundesrat, and assemblies in member states such as Portugal and Greece.

Organization and Membership

Membership comprises delegations from national parliaments—examples include the Folketing, the Althing, the Riksdag, the Eduskunta, and the Knesset—and the European Parliament delegation. Organizational structures mirror parliamentary committees such as foreign affairs committees in the Storting and budget committees in the Tweede Kamer. Leadership often includes co-chairs from national speakers and the President of the European Parliament; administrative support involves secretariats akin to those of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission. Observers and invitees have included representatives from the European Free Trade Association, the Western Balkans legislatures, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and parliamentary delegations from countries like Norway and Switzerland.

Meetings and Procedures

Plenary sessions convene in formats resembling interparliamentary assemblies such as the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments and follow procedures influenced by the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament. Agendas often feature contributions from commissioners—past examples include interactions with commissioners linked to portfolios overseen by figures associated with the Juncker Commission and the von der Leyen Commission—and hearings with representatives of the European Central Bank and the European Court of Auditors. Working groups and thematic panels take inspiration from committees like the Committee on Foreign Affairs (European Parliament) and national equivalents in the Irish Oireachtas or the Belgian Federal Parliament.

Role in EU Legislative Process

While not a legislative body like the European Parliament or national legislatures such as the Bundestag and the Senate (Italy), the conference contributes to the legislative ecosystem by issuing opinions, coordinating subsidiarity checks similar to procedures under Protocols annexed to the Treaty of Lisbon, and facilitating early-warning mechanisms used by parliaments including the Chamber of Deputies (Czech Republic). It influences debates on directives and regulations impacting sectors overseen by institutions like the European Medicines Agency, the European Aviation Safety Agency, and the European Environment Agency, and interfaces with treaty-based instruments such as the Schengen Agreement and the Stability and Growth Pact.

Relations with EU Institutions and Other Bodies

The forum maintains formal and informal contacts with the European Commission, the European Council, and the European Parliament, and cooperates with consultative bodies like the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. It also engages with judicial and financial institutions including the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Central Bank, as well as international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Partnerships extend to parliamentary networks like the Inter-Parliamentary Union and regional assemblies such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Criticisms and Reforms

Critics from national chambers—including voices in the Sejm, the Bundesrat, and the Senate (France)—have argued the forum lacks binding powers compared with bodies like the European Parliament and suffers from uneven participation by delegations from states such as Romania and Bulgaria. Reform proposals have drawn on models from the Conference on the Future of Europe, suggestions by the European Convention (2002–2003), and proposals debated in venues including the European Council and national constitutional courts. Suggested reforms include clearer procedures akin to subsidiarity protocols under the Treaty on European Union, enhanced secretariat capacities similar to the European Parliament services, and stronger formal links with budgetary authorities like national treasury committees and the European Court of Auditors.

Category:European Union