Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (January 2023)

(Resolution 1202 (1999) adopted on 4 November 1999) with subsequent modifications of the Rules of Procedure* 

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xii. - Agreement on the strengthening of co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament (28 November 2007)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;
The European Parliament;
Referring to the report by Jean-Claude Juncker on the Council of Europe – European Union: “A sole ambition for the European Continent”;
Referring to Rule 61 (now Rule 66 ) of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;
Referring to Rule 189 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament;
Whereas the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) are united in the shared pursuit of human rights, justice and democracy in Europe and across the world;
Whereas the roles of the European Parliament and of the PACE differ substantially in nature, in particular in relation to the legislative powers exercised by the Parliament as co-legislator in the European Union;
1. Agree to:

— intensify co-operation and mutual contacts on political issues;

— ensure co-ordination of action on questions of mutual interest for both Assemblies;

— mutually recognise achievements of both Assemblies and systematically take them into account, as appropriate, in each other’s activities;

— identify measures aimed at promoting complementary action;

2. In order to achieve these objectives the following measures should be undertaken:

— Presidents of both Assemblies will meet periodically, when necessary;

— joint meetings of the Presidential Committee and Conference of Presidents will be held, in principle, once a year in order to discuss the state of relations between the two Assemblies and other questions of common interest;

— counterpart Committees and their Chairpersons:

— will be encouraged to step up their co-operation with a view to co-ordinate action and avoid duplication;

— will endeavour to identify issues which will constitute a basis for joint activities. These will include joint meetings and hearings, invitations for members and rapporteurs of counterpart committees, where appropriate, as well as regular contacts between rapporteurs;

— will exchange information, agendas and other documents and recognise each other’s achievements in their own documents;

— achievements and actions of both Assemblies will be referred to and taken into account, when appropriate, in each other’s documents and activities;

— the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will invite each other to be represented at conferences, seminars and other events;

— the existing excellent cooperation in joint electoral observation missions will be reinforced, in particular in the framework of the international observation missions carried out by the OSCE PA/PACE/EP;

— high level Secretariat meetings will be held on a regular basis;

— respective secretariats of the counterpart committees should be instructed to maintain close contacts and co-operation;

3. Furthermore, the Presidents agree to give all political support to the proper follow up to be given to Mr Juncker’s report on relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union.