Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Parliament's Conference of Presidents set up a Steering Group on relations with national Parliaments mandating it with the task of elaborating “pragmatic recommendations on how best to prepare the European Parliament for its future relations with national Parliaments in the light of the Treaty of Lisbon”.

 

On 21 October 2010 the Conference of Presidents welcomed the recommendations of the Steering Group. In these the Steering Group announced its intention to "prepare an annual report on the European Parliament's activities with regard to interparliamentary cooperation, and submit it for information to the Conference of Presidents and to all Members of the European Parliament".

 

This first report highlights the main forms of interparliamentary cooperation between the European Parliament and national Parliaments as these exist under the Treaty of Lisbon. With this report the Group provides information on the current state of interparliamentary relations, discusses the key challenges for further developing these relations and presents some thoughts as to the prospects for the future.