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Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (FEMM ICM) on “Women in sport”, 7 March 2024, Brussels

This FEMM interparliamentary committee meeting was organised around the topical subject of “Women in sport" on the occasion of the International Women’s Day 2024.

The European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), in cooperation with the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with national Parliaments (DG PART), invited Members of national Parliaments of the EU Member States and EU Candidate Countries to attend an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) in person, in Brussels.

The meeting took place on Thursday, 7 March from 9:00 - 12:30 CET in the European Parliament in Brussels in room ANTALL 4Q1.

Inter-parliamentary Conference on CFSP/CSDP in Bruges, 3-5 March 2024

The 24th session of the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy took place on 3-5 March 2024 in Bruges, Belgium.

The meeting was organised by the Parliamentary Dimension of the Belgian Presidency (www.parleu2024.be). Members of Parliaments from EU national Parliaments, the European Parliament, observer and candidate countries as well as officials were invited.

Discussions were articulated around four main items: Supporting Ukraine against the Russian aggression; The ongoing process of enlargement; The Strategic Compass and EU Resilience; Priorities of the CFSP/CSDP and an urgent debate on the situation in the Middle East.

A staff seminar for officials of national Parliaments was also held in the margins of the Inter-parliamentary Conference on the topic of the Implementation of the Strategic Compass and the European Peace Facility.

European Parliamentary Week 2024, 12-13 February 2024, Brussels

In the context of the economic, employment and budgetary policies scrutiny, the European Parliament together with the Belgian Senate and the House of Representatives representing the parliamentary dimension of the Presidency of the Council of the EU organised the European Parliamentary Week 2024, on 12 and 13 February 2024 in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Annually the European Parliamentary Week brings together Parliamentarians from the European Union, candidate and observer countries to discuss economic, budgetary and social matters. It includes the Interparliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union established by the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (Fiscal Compact).


COSAC Chairpersons’ meeting in Namur on 14-15 January 2024

© Belgian Presidency
The Meeting of Chairpersons of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for European Union Affairs (COSAC) convened on 14-15 January 2024, in Namur, Belgium.

Hosted by the Belgian Federal Parliament, the meeting brought together prominent figures, including First Vice-President Othmar Karas and AFCO Vice-Chair Charles Goerens from the European Parliament, alongside Members and staff from EU National Parliaments, candidate countries, and invited nations.

Ms. Eliane Tillieux, President of the Belgian House of Representatives, and Mr. Gaëtan Van Goidsenhoven, Belgian Senator, delivered opening speeches, emphasizing the key priorities of the Belgian presidency, covering aspects such as gender policies, the defence of the rule of law, the EU strategy agenda for 2024-2029, EU strategic autonomy, and EU institutional reform.

Inter-parliamentary Committee Meeting (LIBE ICM) on ‘The situation of the Rule of Law in the EU’ , 4 December, Brussels

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) with the support of the Directorate for relations with National Parliaments organized an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) on “The situation of the Rule of Law in the EU”.

The meeting took place on Monday, 4 December 2023, from 14.00 to 17.00, in the European Parliament premises in Brussels.
The interparliamentary committee meeting was dedicated to an assessment of the fourth Commission's rule of law report with a specific emphasis on combating corruption. The meeting served as a follow up on previous such interparliamentary meetings, including the one which took place in December 2022, as well as on the Parliament's resolution of 30 March 2023 on the Commission's 2022 Rule of Law Report. The meeting also served as input into the ongoing work on the LIBE own-initiative report on the Commission's 2023 Rule of Law Report.

The meeting, which was held in-person, provided the occasion for an in-depth exchange of views on the rule of law situation in the EU and on the role of National Parliaments in the context of the EU efforts to protect and enforce the Union values.

Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (EMPL ICM) on “Participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process”, 4 December, Brussels

© Agnieszka Eva Juszczyk/European Disability Forum

The European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) in cooperation with the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with national Parliaments organized an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) on "Participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process" took place on Monday, 4 December 2023 from 16.00 to 18.30 CET in the European Parliament in Brussels (ANTALL building, room 6Q2), in physical presence and remotely.

The event was structured around two sessions. The first panel discussed "Participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process ‐ State of play and remaining obstacles", and the second looked into "Preparing for the European elections 2024 ‐ How can improvements still be achieved?. The debate allowed for discussions on common experiences, to share best practices, foster mutual learning, and to raise awareness of the common challenges related to this right.

This event gathered alongside national and European Parliaments Members, Council and Commission representatives, as well as NGOs. In view of the upcoming European elections 2024, its first aim was identifying the state of play regarding persons' with disabilities participation in electoral processes, progress made and remaining legal or accessibility barriers. Subsequently, all participants were invited to share best practices and discuss how improvements can still be made for the upcoming European elections.

High Level Conference on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (DROI), 29 November 2023, Brussels

The European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) together with the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, hosted this High Level Conference.

The Conference was dedicated to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration. The event took place on Wednesday 29 November 2023 from 10:15 to 17:30 CET at the European Parliament in Brussels (Room - József Antall 4Q2).

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone in the history of human rights. Over the decades, it has inspired a rich body of legally binding international human rights treaties, remaining a relevant compass to navigate through global challenges. This High Level Conference was therefore a unique opportunity for members of national Parliaments, MEPs and other representatives from the European Union, as well as international and regional human rights organisations and mechanisms to bridge divides and stand up for human rights at the time when emerging contested narratives led by global powers are prospering.

In the light of the 75th anniversary of the UDHR, the first panel of the event delved into the question of what makes human rights universal. The second segment of the conference allowed for an in-depth discourse on collaborative strategies to meet the challenges of our times. By bringing together a wide range of human rights stakeholders to share their perspectives and approaches and thanks to a vivid and candid exchange of views, this Conference contributed to fostering dialogue and cooperation to ensure that the universality of human rights is respected and implemented globally.

Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (CULT ICM) on “European Citizenship Education”, 27 - 28 November, Brussels

The European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), with the support of the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, hosted an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) on “European Citizenship Education”.

The event took place on Monday, 27th of November 2023 from 14:00 to 20:00 CET and on Tuesday, 28th of November 2023 from 9:00 to 12:30 CET at the European Parliament in Brussels (Room - Antall 6Q2).


Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (REGI ICM) on “The Future of Cohesion Policy: Opportunities, Challenges and Next Steps”, 7 November 2023, Brussels

The European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development (REGI), in collaboration with the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with National Parliaments, hosted an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) on "The Future of Cohesion Policy: Opportunities, Challenges and Next Steps". The event took place on Tuesday, 7th of November 2023, from 09:00 to 12:30 CET at the European Parliament in Brussels (ANTALL 2Q2).

This ICM followed the Ministerial Meeting of foreign affairs ministers held in Murcia in September. It aimed at ensuring the active participation of national Parliaments in the discussion regarding the future of Cohesion Policy post 2027. The event was structured into two panel sessions, offering Members of the European Parliament and Members of national Parliaments an opportunity to exchange their perspectives on how to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union.

The Belgian Presidency will host the COSAC Chairpersons’ meeting in Namur on Sunday 14 January and Monday 15 January.

The Spanish Parliament hosted the LXX COSAC Plenary Meeting within the framework of the parliamentary dimension of the Spanish Presidency of the Council.

The Spanish Presidency will organise the LXX Plenary Meeting of COSAC from 26-28 November 2023 in Madrid.

The COSAC Chairpersons’ meeting, hosted by the Spanish Senate in Madrid, took place on 18 September 2023 and was preceded by a meeting of the Presidential Troika of COSAC on Sunday 17 September.

The European Parliament's Committee on Petitions (PETI ICM) in cooperation with the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with national Parliaments organized an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting (ICM) on "Cooperation with Petitions committees in national parliaments.

The 13th Meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG) on Europol took place on 20 and 21 September 2023 at the European Parliament in Brussels.

The 23rd session of the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy, took place on 1-2 October 2023 in Madrid.

Interparliamentary Conference - Tax Symposium on "The Future of taxation in the EU: challenges ahead and what are the changes needed", co-hosted by the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) in cooperation with the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with national Parliaments and the European Commission (DG TAXUD), took place from 24 to 25 October 2023.

The European Parliament Constitutional Affairs Committee (AFCO), in cooperation with the Legislative Dialogue Unit of the Directorate for Relations with national Parliaments, organised this ICM to exchange views with national Parliaments on the preparations to the European Elections in 2024.