PACE and EP
On 28 of November European Parliament (EP) President Hans-Gert Pöttering and the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) President René van der Linden signed Brussels an agreement to improve cooperation between the two Institutions and increase complementary initiatives and synergies.
President Pöttering declared: "This agreement will mark another important step forward in relations between the EP and the PACE. The two institutions will intensify contacts on political issues and on questions of mutual interest and will increase coordination with a view of undertaking joint actions and avoiding duplication. This approach is very much in the interest of European citizens"
Following the signature of the agreement, coordination will be assured through joint meetings and hearings, invitations for members and rapporteurs of corresponding committees and regular contacts between rapporteurs. The two institutions also agreed on the necessity to reflect the achievements of both bodies in each other's documents and actions. Finally, both Assemblies proposed to reinforce the already "excellent" cooperation in joint electoral observation missions.
