Parliamentary Delegations – a unique form of parliamentary diplomacy

New MEPs gather in Strasbourg for the first of their autumn plenary sessions. Following July's constitutive session, the 736 Members are still to vote on their appointments in different interparliamentary delegations. Currently 40, they offer the EP a vital network of contacts and a forum for dialogue with parliamentarians in partner countries outside the EU.
MEPs will vote in the course of the week both on the numerical strength (Monday) of as well as their appointments to (Wednesday) different EP delegations.

A total of 18 delegations - namely the ones dealing with Central and Latin America, the Middle East and those dealing with Enlargement issues will elect their Chairs this week.

Background and type of delegation

Before the first direct elections in 1979, Parliament's external relations were essentially linked to specific EC agreements with third countries.

The first interparliamentary delegation, independent of any specific agreement, was set up with the US in 1972. Since then, the number of delegations has grown together with the growing importance of the EP's external representation.

At the beginning of 2009–2014 mandate delegations maintain the EP's external relations with third countries' parliaments and regional bodies.

There are two types of delegation:

Interparliamentary delegations, whose task is to maintain relations with the parliaments of countries outside the EU that have not applied for membership.

Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPC), who maintain contact with the parliaments of countries that are candidates for accession to the European Union and States that have association agreements with the Community.

Parliament also has 5 Multilateral Assemblies, which bring together MEPs and parliamentarians from African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP-EU JPA), the Mediterranean (EMPA), Latin America (EUROLAT), the EU's eastern neighbouring countries (EURONEST - this brings together MEPs and MPs from six countries participating in the Eastern Partnership, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and NATO countries.