Apresentação

DSCA: Delegation (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia)

Relations between the European Parliament and the countries of the South Caucasus - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - are channeled through one delegation: the Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, to the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and to the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee (the DSCA Delegation).

As the full name of the Delegation indicates, specific fora have been created to bring together elected representatives of the EU and from the countries of the South Caucasus: a Parliamentary Partnership Committee for Armenia, a Parliamentary Cooperation Committees for Azerbaijan and a Parliamentary Association Committee for Georgia.

While these differ slightly because of the respective legal arrangements between the EU and the countries concerned, all bring together parliamentarians at least once a year to discuss bilateral relations and common concerns. The meetings' locations alternate between the working places of the European Parliament (Brussels or Strasbourg) and the premises of the partner countries' parliaments.

Members and Chair

The European Parliament's DSCA Delegation counts 18 full members, with an identical number of substitute members.

The Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation is Ms Marina Kaljurand. The Bureau of the DSCA is composed of the Chair plus two Vice-Chairs: Mr Kosma Złotowski and Ms Rasa Juknevičiené.

The members of the Bureau are elected by the other members of the Delegation, who themselves take into account advice which they receive from their respective political groups. The members are nominated by the Parliament's political groups, with the political composition of the Delegation mirroring that of Parliament as a whole.

As Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation, Ms Kaljurand is also Co-Chair of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee. For each of these Committees, a member of parliament from the partner country concerned serves, of course, as Co-Chair.

Delegation activities

In addition to attending inter-parliamentary meetings with counterparts from the South Caucasus, members of the DSCA Delegation also convene in Brussels and Strasbourg to discuss their work and issues relevant to the partnerships, and to prepare for the forthcoming PPC, PCC and PAC meetings.

These meetings often include exchanges of views with experts and officials from outside the Parliament. The European External Action Service and the European Commission contribute to the discussions, as do scholars and representatives from non-governmental organisations, diplomatic representatives from the South Caucasus and members of civil society.

The Delegation works hand-in-hand with other bodies in the European Parliament - including the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Sub-Committee on Human Rights and the Sub-Committee on Security and Defence -, and hold joint meetings with these parliamentary bodies, if need be.

Finally, the Delegation's Chair regularly issues statements in response to developments in Armenia, Azerbaijan or Georgia, or in their bilateral relationship with the EU.

Armenia and Azerbaijan

The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee linking the Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan to the European Parliament was instituted by the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements between the EU and Azerbaijan, which entered into force on 1 July 1999.

The agreements describe the Parliamentary Cooperation Committee as "a forum for Members of the [partner] Parliament and the European Parliament to meet and exchange views."

The Committee also monitor the implementation of the agreements, including cooperation on the rule of law and human rights.

Similarly, the Parliamentary Partnership Committee linking the National Assembly of Armenia to the European Parliament stems from the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement which was signed on the sidelines of the November 2017 Eastern Partnership Summit. This agreement replaces the previous Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Armenia, which had also entered into force on 1 July 1999.

In this way, the Committees are charged with broadly scrutinising EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Armenia relations, respectively.

Georgia

The EU's relations with Georgia were for many years based on the same sort of Partnership and Cooperation Agreement that Armenia and Azerbaijan have.

Since July 2016, however, the EU-Georgia partnership is governed by a far-reaching Association Agreement. This accord, which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), replaces the former Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Georgia.

The Parliamentary Association Committee serves as a forum to discuss relations between the EU and Georgia as well as issues of mutual interest. The committee also aims to provide impetus for democratic and market reforms in Georgia, and for helping to bring the country closer to the EU.

Finally, the Committee has a responsibility to maintain a dialogue with Georgia's civil society.

Articles 365, EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement

COMPREHENSIVE AND ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Armenia, of the other part

Article 365

Parliamentary Partnership Committee

1. A Parliamentary Partnership Committee is hereby established. It shall consist of members of the European Parliament, on the one hand, and of members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, on the other, and shall be a forum for them to meet and exchange views. It shall meet at intervals which it shall itself determine.

2. The Parliamentary Partnership Committee shall establish its rules of procedure.

3. The Parliamentary Partnership Committee shall be chaired alternately by a representative of the European Parliament and a representative of the Armenian National Assembly respectively, in accordance with the provisions to be laid down in its rules of procedure.

4. The Parliamentary Partnership Committee may request relevant information regarding the implementation of this Agreement from the Partnership Council, which shall then supply the Parliamentary Partnership Committee with the requested information.

5. The Parliamentary Partnership Committee shall be informed of the decisions and recommendations of the Partnership Council.

6. The Parliamentary Partnership Committee may make recommendations to the Partnership Council.

7. The Parliamentary Partnership Committee may create parliamentary partnership subcommittees.

Articles 86-88, EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT
between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part

Article 86

A Parliamentary Cooperation Committee is hereby established. It shall be a forum for Members of the Azerbaijani Parliament and the European Parliament to meet and exchange views. It shall meet at intervals which it shall itself determine.

Article 87

1. The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee shall consist of members of the European Parliament, on the one hand, and of members of the Azerbaijani Parliament, on the other.

2. The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee shall establish its rules of procedure.

3. The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee shall be presided in turn by the European Parliament and the Azerbaijani Parliament respectively, in accordance with the provisions to be laid down in its rules of procedure.

Article 88

The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee may request relevant information regarding the implementation of this Agreement from the Cooperation Council, which shall then supply the Committee with the requested information.

The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee shall be informed of the recommendations of the Cooperation Council.

The Parliamentary Cooperation Council may make recommendations to the Cooperation Council.

Articles 410 and 411, EU-Georgia Association Agreement

ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT
between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part

Parliamentary Association Committee
Article 410


1. A Parliamentary Association Committee is hereby established. It shall be a forum for Members of the European Parliament and of the Parliament of Georgia to meet and exchange views. It shall meet at intervals which it shall itself determine.

2. The Parliamentary Association Committee shall consist of Members of the European Parliament, on the one hand, and of Members of the Parliament of Georgia, on the other.

3. The Parliamentary Association Committee shall establish its own rules of procedure.

4. The Parliamentary Association Committee shall be chaired in turn by a representative of the European Parliament and a representative of the Georgian Parliament respectively, in accordance with the provisions to be laid down in its rules of procedure.

Article 411

1. The Parliamentary Association Committee may request relevant information regarding the implementation of this Agreement from the Association Council, which shall then supply the Parliamentary Association Committee with the requested information.

2. The Parliamentary Association Committee shall be informed of the decisions and recommendations of the Association Council.

3. The Parliamentary Association Committee may make recommendations to the Association Council.

4. The Parliamentary Association Committeemay create Parliamentary Association sub-committees.