Organization of the European Parliament's Parliamentary Delegations

The European Parliament has adopted a new decision on the structure and composition of its interparliamentary delegations. This update modernizes the organization of parliamentary activities with international partners. The decision affects all official delegations representing the European Parliament in external relations.

Context and objectives

Building on previous decisions from 2019, 2021 and 2023, this legal act aims to rationalize the structure of interparliamentary delegations. The main objective is to optimize the European Parliament's representation within multilateral and bilateral parliamentary assemblies, while respecting Articles 229 and 230 of its Rules of Procedure.

Key measures

• Establishment of the exact number of interparliamentary delegations and their numerical composition
• Organization of delegations based on regional criteria for effective representation
• Definition of the composition of the delegation to the OEACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
• Establishment of rules for delegations to regional parliamentary assemblies
• Limitation of the number of vice-chairs in delegation bureaus
• Recognition of exclusively officially authorized delegations

Timeline and implementation

The decision entered into force immediately after adoption on July 11, 2024. The President of the European Parliament is tasked with transmitting the decision to the Council, Commission and European External Action Service. Implementation is coordinated through the Conference of Presidents, which authorizes the official activities of delegations.

Impact for citizens and stakeholders

This reorganization ensures more effective representation of European citizens' interests in international parliamentary relations. Delegations will be able to work more consistently with partners from third countries, contributing to strengthening political dialogue. Citizens benefit from better structured parliamentary representation in EU external relations.