The Center for UN Constitutional Research (CUNCR) organized on 27-28 November, in Brussels, a high-level seminar for International Parliamentary Institutions dedicated to the theme “How to Assemble Parliamentary Assemblies – Bringing International Parliamentary Institutions to the Next Level”.
The seminar, hosted by the European Parliament, was opened by MEP Jo Leinen and attended by parliamentarians, executive officials of parliamentary institutions, together with diplomats and representatives from the EU, the UN, OECD, specialized research and academic bodies, as well as Democracy Without Borders, the Union of European Federalists and the European Partnership for Democracy.
Over two days, 50 participants exchanged views and best practices on how to improve and enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation. The role of Parliaments in the promotion of regional and global democracy was highlighted throughout the entire seminar, particularly in relation to those countries where parliaments are still limited in their action.
The importance of strong institutions was stressed by Hon. Fernando Iglesias (Argentina) who addressed the many challenges that democracy was facing nowadays at a global level. Delegates agreed that the crucial role of Parliaments must be increased by improving the communication between Parliaments and citizens, promoting knowledge sharing and inter-parliamentary cooperation and by having adequate resources and stable funding. Other recommendations looked at the benefit for leading parliamentary assemblies to identify common themes for joint action in the various regions and the requirement for them to have a dedicated mechanism to better liaise with the United Nations system, as well as the need to streamline the activities of some parliamentary organizations, which continue to operate only out of inertia.
PAM Secretary General Amb. Sergio Piazzi had been invited to the meeting to present the functioning of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean in promoting peace and stability in the region, as experts consider PAM to be one of the best performing parliamentary assembly at the global level, particularly for its diplomatic missions and peace support operations in the MENA region and the Balkans.
In his intervention, Amb Piazzi highlighted PAM’s role in facilitating harmonization of national legislations, particularly in the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Counterterrorism, or in promoting trade facilitation, investments and human rights. He further emphasized the key role of PAM parliamentarians who are directly involved in the collaboration with other parliamentary assemblies, the UN, the EU and the PAM network of partners with whom events are co-organized in the areas of responsibility of the three PAM Standing Committees.
In the course of the many bilateral meetings taking place on the margin of the event, additional opportunities of bilateral partnership between PAM and the European Parliament and Commission, NATO PA, ASEAN AIPA, PAP, IPU, Parlatino and selected research institutions were discussed and agreed upon on issues such as regional security, migrations, sea pollution by plastic micro-particles and climate change.