Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments

Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments

The Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments (hereinafter referred to as the Conference of Speakers) is the highest forum for cooperation between European national parliaments, with the main function of defining the framework and strategic goals for interparliamentary cooperation.

The first Conference of Speakers was held in Rome in 1963, while the meetings became regular after 1975. From the Lisbon Summit in 1999, the Conference of Speakers of EU Parliaments has functioned as an autonomous forum for interparliamentary cooperation. Ever since, the Conference of Speakers has evolved into the primary coordination and control body of the European Union's parliamentary cooperation.

Laying down the internal "rules and procedures" started in Rome in 2000, while the present "rules and procedures" were adopted in the Swedish capital city in May 2010 and named the Stockholm Guidelines after the location for the conference. Based on these, the aim of the Conference of Speakers is to encourage and ensure the importance of the role of the parliaments. The Conference provides an excellent opportunity to exchange views, information and experiences between the Speakers, to dispute the role and tasks of national parliaments, and to support research and joint actions.

The Conference is organised annually, in the first half of the year. Participants are the Speakers of the 27 European parliaments (39 chambers) and the Speaker of the European Parliament, while the Speakers of Parliaments of Candidate Countries hold observer status in the conferences.

It is the responsibility of the Coordination Presidency to organise the Conference of Speakers. This position is held by the national parliaments, for one year, from 1^st July to 30^th June of the following year. After the enlargement of the EU with 10 new Member States on 1^st May 2004, Hungary held the first Coordination Presidency; thus secretarial tasks were performed by the Directorate for Foreign Affairs. Following the present regulation, the Coordination Presidency is carried out by the Member State which holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union during the second semester of the year, technically extending its presidency period till the end of the first semester of the next year.

The Hungarian National Assembly regularly attends the Conference of Speakers.

Conference of Speakers of EU Parliaments 2022-2026

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