SK
EN
Member of the European Parliament
ACTIVITIES IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Chairman of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South East Europe
Presentation and competencies
The European Parliament's delegation for relations with South-East Europe was constituted on 17 November 1994, as the "successor" to the Delegation for relations with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which had been functioning since 1981, then renamed delegation for relations with the republics of former Yugoslavia. It has been responsible for interparliamentary relations with five countries in South-East Europe, i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (then, State Union of Serbia-Montenegro and now the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro), and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Albania was included in a three-country delegation with Romania and Bulgaria between 1991 and 1994, when it became part of the Delegation for relations with South-East Europe.
In 2002, the European Parliament decided to initiate informal interparliamentary relations with Kosovo, which has an assembly directly elected under United Nations regulations, and, since the European elections of 2004, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia were "separated" from the regional delegation, due to their new or announced status of candidate countries for accession to the EU, and given new delegations to the respective Joint Parliamentary Committees.
The present inter-parliamentary relations with Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro have an annual cycle and are based on voluntary decisions, awaiting the entry into force of the various Stabilisation and Association Agreements. Relations with the parliamentary assembly of Kosovo, which is also interested in the Stabilisation and Association Process, officially started in May 2008, following the declaration of independence of the province on 17 February 2008.
Member of the Committee for Foreign Affairs
Presentation and competencies
Committee responsible for:
1. the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and the European security and defence policy (ESDP). In this context the committee is assisted by a subcommittee on security and defence;
2. relations with other EU institutions and bodies, the UNO and other international organisations and interparliamentary assemblies for matters falling under its responsibility;
3. the strengthening of political relations with third countries, particularly those in the immediate vicinity of the Union, by means of major cooperation and assistance programmes or international agreements such as association and partnership agreements;
4. the opening, monitoring and concluding of negotiations concerning the accession of European States to the Union;
5. issues concerning human rights, the protection of minorities and the promotion of democratic values in third countries. In this context the committee is assisted by a subcommittee on human rights. Without prejudice to the relevant rules, members from other committees and bodies with responsibilities in this field shall be invited to attend the meetings of the subcommittee.
The committee coordinates the work of joint parliamentary committees and parliamentary cooperation committees as well as that of the interparliamentary delegations and ad hoc delegations and election observation missions falling within its remit.
Member of the Subcommittee for Human Rights
Presentation and competencies
The Subcommittee's main responsibilities are set out in Section I(5) of Annex VII of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament:
'- issues concerning human rights, the protection of minorities and the promotion of democratic values in third countries: In this context the committee [on foreign affairs] is assisted by a subcommittee on human rights. Without prejudice to the relevant rules, members from other committees and bodies with responsibilities in this field shall be invited to attend the meetings of the subcommittee.'
Substitute of the Subcommittee for Development
Presentation and competencies
Committee responsible for:1. the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the development and cooperation policy of the Union, notably:
- political dialogue with developing countries, bilaterally and in the relevant international organisations and interparliamentary fora,
- aid to, and cooperation agreements with, developing countries,
- promotion of democratic values, good governance and human rights in developing countries;
2. matters relating to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement and relations with the relevant bodies;
3. Parliament's involvement in election observation missions, when appropriate in cooperation with other relevant committees and delegations.
The committee coordinates the work of the interparliamentary delegations and ad hoc delegations falling within its remit.
