Presentazione

The forum for official exchanges between parliamentarians from the European Union and Chile is the "EU-Chile Joint Parliament Committee (JPC)". This committee was created by Article 9 of the Association Agreement between the EU and Chile, signed in Brussels on 18 November 2002.

The agreement defines the political and economic relationship between the EU and Chile generally.

Composition and bureau of the Joint Parliamentary Committee

The EU-Chile Joint Parliament Committee comprises two delegations with an equal number of members from the European Parliament and from the Chilean Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

Currently there are 15 members of each delegation. The delegations meet at least once a year, alternately in Chile and the EU.

The "bureau" of the Committee, which includes the Chair and two Vice-chairs, also holds at least one meeting per year in order to programme the joint activities for the next semester. The bureau identifies topics of common interest to be discussed at the next interparliamentary meeting.

Focus on the Association Agreement

The Joint Parliamentary Committee's principal task is to monitor the application of the EU-Chile Association Agreement and to make proposals to improve it.

Subjects related to the Association Agreement and its three main areas - trade chapter, political dialogue and cooperation - are raised in Committee meetings. The meetings also frequently include exchanges of views about the current political and economic situation in Chile and the European Union.

Members adopt a joint declaration at each meeting. This document reflects the different positions of the Committee members on a variety of issues. It usually contains recommendations addressed to other bodies established by the Association Agreement, such as the Association Council and the Association Committee.

Towards a new Agreement

Recently, the Joint Parliamentary Committee has been involved in the process of modernising the EU-Chile Association Agreement.
This process was formally launched by the sixth EU-Chile Association Council in April 2015. The Commission sent its proposal for a negotiation mandate to the EU Member States, whose approval is required for negotiations to begin.

Negotiation rounds are taking place and progress is being made towards a final agreement between the parties.

Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Chile, of the other part

Article 9
Association Parliamentary Committee

1. An Association Parliamentary Committee is hereby established. It shall be a forum for members of the European Parliament and the Chilean National Congress (Congreso Nacional de Chile) to meet and exchange views. It shall meet at intervals which it shall itself determine.

2. The Association Parliamentary Committee shall consist of members of the European Parliament, on the one hand, and of members of the Chilean National Congress (Congreso Nacional de Chile), on the other.

3. The Association Parliamentary Committee shall establish its rules of procedure.

4. The Association Parliamentary Committee shall be chaired in turn by a representative of the European Parliament and a representative of the Chilean National Congress (Congreso Nacional de Chile), in accordance with the provisions to be laid down in its rules of procedure.

5. The Association Parliamentary Committee may request of the Association Council relevant information regarding the implementation of this Agreement, and the Association Council shall supply the Committee with the requested information.

6. The Association Parliamentary Committee shall be informed of the decisions and recommendations of the Association Council.

7. The Association Parliamentary Committee may make recommendations to the Association Council.