On May 5, 1949 ten Governments
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (the Assembly) is the oldest international parliamentary Assembly with a
pluralistic composition of democratically elected members. It is also the most
comprehensive European parliamentary forum, today with delegations from 47 national
parliaments (plus 3 delegations holding observer status).
The Assembly consists of 318 elected
representatives (and an equal number of substitutes) from the Member States of
the Council of Europe. The number of representatives from each country varies
from eighteen to two depending on its population.
At present, the Assembly counts five political
groups: the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD); the Socialist Group
(SOC); the European Democrat Group (EDG); the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe (ALDE); and the Group of the Unified European Left (UEL). Political
groups have to commit themselves to respect the promotion of the values of the
Council of Europe, notably political pluralism, human rights and the rule of
law.
The President of the Assembly and the leaders
of the groups form the Presidential Committee of the PACE.
The President, twenty Vice-Presidents, the
Chairpersons of the political groups or their representatives as well as the
Chairpersons of the general PACE Committees or their substitutes make up the
Bureau of the Assembly.
The Standing Committee consists of the Bureau
and the Chairpersons of national delegations. It is generally convened at least
twice a year and its major task is to act on behalf of the Assembly when the
latter is not in session.
The Assembly Committees are composed of
representatives or substitutes of the Assembly. They are reconstituted in
January of each year, and elect their chairperson and three vice-chairpersons.
At present, the Assembly has 8 committees with
the following memberships:
Chapter Institutionalisation - all countries
© EPTA, version 20 Oct 2012; provided by ITA |