An ad hoc delegation for relations with the Palestinian Authority was set up on 3 November 1993. The standing Delegation was created on 12 December 1996. In the absence of a formal Palestinian state, the Delegation was named ‘Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council’.
The delegation is responsible for ‘maintaining and developing Parliament's international contacts’, while focusing on ‘the parliamentary dimension’, which in this case refers to relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council.
The Delegation holds regular working meetings and hearings to prepare for meetings with its Palestinian equivalent, which are most often held in Palestine owing to the difficulties encountered by the members of the PLC in leaving their territory. The situation has become even more delicate since the isolation of the Gaza Strip in 2006. Meetings thus take place in Ramallah and Gaza. The most recent meeting between the two delegations was held in Ramallah and Gaza in February 2009, a few days after the end of the Israeli military operation.
Depending on events in the region, the delegation can hold joint meetings with the relevant parliamentary committees (AFET, DROI and DEVE) or other delegations with responsibility for the region, such as the Delegation for relations with Israel or Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries.
Following the elections of June 2009, the new Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council was set up in September (for the 2009-2014 parliamentary term). It consists of 22 members and is chaired by Mrs Emer Costello (S&D, IRL).
