Oversigt

D-MK: Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia JPC

The European Parliament's relations with the Sobranie, the parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia, are channelled through its "Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee", abbreviated as D-MK.

As the name of the delegation indicates, a specific forum - a "Joint Parliamentary Committee" (JPC) - has been established to bring together elected representatives from the European Parliament and the Sobranie.

The 13-member D-MK delegation, created in 2004, represents half of this committee.

Members and Chair

In addition to its 13 full members, the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with North Macedonia counts a number of substitute members.

Andreas SCHIEDER (S&D, AT) was elected as the Chair of the European Parliament's North Macedonia Delegation on 26 September 2019. The delegation's 1st Vice-Chair is Irena JOVEVA (Renew, SL), and its 2nd Vice-Chair is Marion WALSMANN (PPE, DE).


Delegation work


The delegation meets on its own occasionally in Brussels or Strasbourg.

These meetings address procedural matters, such as the election of Chair or Vice-Chairs and the preparations for the Joint Parliamentary Committee sessions.

The meetings also examine matters of substance, such as the political and economic situation in the Republic of North Macedonia and the bilateral relationship.

Members of the delegation regularly invite external experts to make presentations or exchange views on relevant topics. Representatives of the Commission's Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, representatives of the European External Action Service and the North Macedonia's Ambassador to the EU regularly participate in D-MK Delegation meetings.

Joint Parliamentary Committee meetings

The lion's share of the delegation's work is invested in the Joint Parliamentary Committee.

The committee meets twice a year, once in the Republic of North Macedonia and once in the European Parliament, usually in Strasbourg. Each meeting usually lasts for two half-days.

Agenda of a joint committee meeting usually focuses on 4-6 topics important to bilateral relations. The first agenda point traditionally concerns bilateral relations and preparations for the country's EU accession negotiations. The Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations and a high-ranking representative of the government of North Macedonia are always invited to participate and address the Members.

Subsequent topics of discussion are introduced by a "first speaker" - usually a member of parliament. The first speaker's introduction is followed by an exchange of views with all the committee members.

At the end of its sessions, the committee usually adopts a set of recommendations. These must be approved by a simple majority of the members of each delegation who are present at the meeting. To date, the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee has adopted recommendations at most of its meetings.
Committee meetings often finish with a press conference of the Co-Chairs.

The Committee sessions are public. Minutes of the Committee meeting are adopted at the following meeting, and audio recordings of the meetings are available on request. Some meetings may be webstreamed on the web page of the European Parliament or of the Sobranie.

Travelling

When travelling to the Republic of North Macedonia for meetings of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, the European Parliament's delegation tries to organise additional discussions with ambassadors from the EU, NGOs and representatives of the country's administration. These provide useful and informed views on the situation on the ground.

MEPs also participate in field visits to projects financed from EU budget, so they can scrutinise how these EU funds are used.

Article 114, Stabilisation and Association Agreement

STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION AGREEMENTbetween the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part


Article 114

A Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee is hereby established. It shall be a forum for Members of the
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonian Parliament and the European Parliament to meet and exchange views. It shall meet at intervals that it shall itself determine.

The Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee shall consist of members of the European Parliament, on the one hand, and of Members of the Parliament of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, on the other.

The Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee shall establish its rules of procedure.

The Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee shall be chaired in turn by the European Parliament and the Parliament of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in accordance with the provisions to be laid down in its rules of procedure.