Events organised by the European Parliament and national parliaments of EU Member States

Foto: Plenarsaal des Europäischen Parlaments während der Rede von Bundespräsident Horst Köhler.

© REGIERUNGonline | Kühler

Numerous formats for cooperation between parliaments in the Member States have now been established at the EU level, and the Bundesrat participates actively in these.

The European Parliament regularly invites representatives from EU parliaments to inter parliamentary committee meetings and hearings on topical European policy issues.

In addition, joint committee meetings, meetings of committee chairpersons and inter-parliamentary conferences on topical issues are also organised by each country that holds the rotating EU Presidency.

Two committees deserve a special mention:

The Interparliamentary Conference for Economic and Financial Governance of the European Union

It is also known as the Article 13 Conference, as it is based on Article 13 of the Fiscal Pact. The first such conference was held in October 2013 during the Lithuanian Council Presidency. The Conference aims to support and foster cooperation between national parliaments and the European Parliament in matters relating to the Fiscal Pact. The core element of the Fiscal Pact, which entered into force on 1st January 2013, is known as the debt brake; it obliges EU Member States who have acceded to the Fiscal Pact to ensure that their national budgets are balanced and envisages penalties in cases of non-compliance.

The Bundesrat may delegate members of the Finance Committee, the Committee on Economic Affairs or the Committee on European Questions to attend this conference.

Europol Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group.

Article 51 of the new Europol Regulation stipulates that a Europol Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group shall be established, made up of representatives from national parliaments and from the relevant European Parliament committee. This body is to be competent for political scrutiny of Europol’s activities, including the impact of these activities on the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons. The specific details of the Scrutiny Group’s composition and working methods were determined in April 2017 by the Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of European Union Member States and the European Parliament (EU CSP).

More on this topic (in German):

Glossary

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