Pristatymas

DLAT: Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly

EuroLat is a multilateral parliamentary assembly - a forum for several different parliaments to come together - composed of 150 members.

Half the members - 75 - come from Latin American regional parliaments, including the Parlatino (Latin American Parliament), the Parlandino (Andean Parliament), the Parlacen (Central American Parliament), the Parlasur (Mercosur Parliament) and the Congresses of Chile and Mexico. The other half - again, 75 members - come from the European Parliament, and this group is the European's Parliament's delegation to EuroLat.

Work

The EuroLat Assembly adopts and submits resolutions and recommendations. These are addressed to several organisations, institutions and ministerial groups that are responsible for developing the 'EU-Latin American and Caribbean Bi-regional Strategic Partnership'.

This Partnership was established at the first summit between the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in June 1999. Today, EuroLat debates, monitors and reviews all questions relating to the partnership.

The Assembly also works generally to strengthen links between the two regions and address issues of bi-regional and international concern. EuroLat debates have focused on topics such as democracy and human rights, migration, fighting poverty, promoting social cohesion, innovation and technology and the environment and climate change.

Composition and structure

EuroLat Members are designated according to each parliament's internal rules in order to reflect the multiplicity of political groups and countries represented in each parliament and congress.

Two Co-Presidents chair the Assembly, one European and one Latin American. The Co-Presidents and 14 Co-Vice-Presidents (7 from each side) compose the Executive Bureau. This body coordinates the work of the Assembly, monitors its activities and maintains relations with the EU-CELAC Summit, the EU-LAC Foundation, the ministerial conferences and Groups of High-Level Officials and Ambassadors. Each EuroLat body counts an equal number of members from Latin America and from Europe.

Standing committees and working groups

EuroLat has four Standing Committees:

  • Political Affairs, Security and Human Rights
  • Economic, Financial and Commercial Affairs
  • Social Affairs, Youth and Children, Human Exchanges, Education and Culture
  • Sustainable Development, the Environment, Energy Policy, Research, Innovation and Technology.

The work of these committees serves as the basis for most of the Assembly's decisions. Motions for resolutions and recommendations adopted by a Committee are then considered and voted by the Assembly - generally on the basis of simple majority. The Committees and Executive Bureau meet at least twice a year, with one of these two sessions running in parallel with EuroLat's full annual Plenary Session.

In addition, on a temporary basis, working groups concentrate on a specific aspect of the Strategic Partnership. One, current example is the Working Group on Security, Organised and Transnational Crime and Terrorism.

Languages

EuroLat's working languages are:

  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish.