/pub/history/military/a-weu/general File: assemb1.1 1.2. THE ASSEMBLY OF WEU =================== Parliament of European Security The WEU Assembly is composed of 108 representatives, as follows: Belgium 7 France 18 Germany 18 Italy 18 Luxembourg 3 Netherlands 7 Portugal 7 Spain 12 United Kingdom 18 A like number of substitutes is also appointed. All are members of their national parliaments, drawn from government and opposiion parties, broadly in proportion to their strength in parliament. The WEU Assembly meets twice a year in plenary session in Paris. It may hold extraordinary sessions and may also meet elsewhere. The Assembly may discuss any matter arising out of the modified Brussels Treaty. It has always resolutely transmitted recommendations to the Council on ways to enhance Europe's identity in the security area, feeling its action in this domain to be particularly important since it is the only official international parliamentary assembly with competence in defence matters. The WEU Council has always replied to its recommenations, which it may, if it considers necessary transmit to the North Atlantic Council. The Assembly's activities are not just an echo of those of the WEU Council, since they reflect a will specific to the Assembly, the principle of political independence recognised by the Council. In pursuit of its duties, the Assembly appointed its steering bodies, the Bureau and Presidential Committee, and its working bodies, the committees, whose discussions are confidential and whose reports are published after beeing adopted on a vote by roll-call. The Bureau consists of the President and eight Vice-Presidents elected by the Assembly from among its members, one from each of the nine member countries. The Presidential Committee is composed of the President of the Assembly, former presidents who are still members of the Assembly, the eight Vice-Presidents and the chairmen of committees. It is customary for the President to invite the chairmen of the political groups to attend meetings of the Presidential Committee. It meets as often as necessary and, subject to subsequent ratification by the Assembly, acts on behalf of the Assembly in between session or part-sessions. It decides the dates, draft agenda and draft order of business of plenary sessions and draws up the draft budget of the Assembly in collaboration with the Committee on Budgetary Affairs and Administration. The Assembly appoints six permanent committees at the beginning of each ordinary session. The committees prepare reports on matters referred to them by the Assembly, appointing a rapporteur for each subject. Their meetings are not public but they may invite guest speakers to address them - usually ministers or senior officials. The Defence Committee (34 members) examines the parts of the annual report of the Council which deal with the control of armaments, defence and disarmament. It frequently studies the state of European seucirty, the organisation of western defence, the joint production of armaments, disarmament and the limitation and control of armaments. The Political Committee (34 members) holds some eight to ten meetings a year. At each session, the committee reports to the Assembly on the political aspects of European security and the main international problems which may affect peace and stability in the world. Each year, it prepares a reply to the sections of the annual report of the WEU Council dealing with political matters. The Technological and Aerospace Committee (26 members) prepares a reply to the chapters of the annual report dealing with scientific and technological co-operation and with co-operation in armaments research. It reports to the Assembly on the political, military and legal aspects of scientific research, space technology, aeronautics, computers and oceanography, with the aim of promoting European co-operation. The Committee on Budgetary Affairs and Administration (26 members) draws up the draft budget of the Assembly, in collaboration with the Presidential Committee, and gives its opinion on the budget of the ministerial organs of WEU and all administrative questions affecting the organisation. The Committee on Rules of Procedure and privileges (26 members) meets each time a question concerning the revision or interpretation of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly is submitted to it by the Assembly. The Committee for Parliamentary and Public Relations (26 members) has the task of: (a) selecting from the texts adopted by the Assembly those which, in its opinion, should be debated in national parliaments; (b) making all the necessary arrangements for bringing the work of the Assembly to the attention of national parliaments and inviting them to follow it up; and (c) making all necessary proposals for bringing the work of the Assembly to the attention of the public and the press in member countries. Representatives and substitutes may join political groups. There are now four groups; the United European Left Group, the Federatel Group of Christian Democrats and European Democrats, the Liberal Group and the Socialist Group. The Assembly's working languages are English and Franch. Statutorily, the Council communicates an annual report to the Assembly on the activities of Western European Union. Acceding to a request by the Assembly, in 1986 the Council agreed to communicate half-yearly reports to the Assembly. Each report is referred to the appropriate commitees for study and they submit their views to the Assembly in a report. At plenary session, the report is presented orally by the Chairman-in-Office of the Council, who generally continues with a statement on his government's policy. He then answers questions put by the parliamentarians, either in his capacity as Chairman-in-Office, or as minister for foreign affairs of his country. After debating the reports submitted by the committees in reply to the annual report of the Council, the Assembly votes on the draft recommendations. It may adopt a motion to disagree to the annual report by an absolute majority of representatives. The Assembly considers in plenary session reports from its committees on questions referred to them. Every committee report has an explanatory memorandum and a substantive text. It gives its opinion by voting only on the substanti!ve texts of these reports which are generally in the form of a recommendation to the Council to which the Council replies in writing. The Assembly may also send resolutions to international organisations, governments or the national parliaments. As the Assembly has mainly moral authority, it is aware that the impact of its recommendations is even greater if they are the object of wider agreement. It therefore endeavours to adopt its texts unanimously or by a large majority. Representatives may normally put questions to ministers or other speakers who address the Assembly. They may put written questions to the Council at any time and a written reply will be given. In view of the shortcomings of public procedures for exchanging views, provisions was made for confidential exchanges in order to overcome the obstacles arising from the need for the Council's discussions to be secret. Ever since its creation, the Assembly has helped to shape a European spirit not only among its members but also in the parliaments of the seven countries which signed the Paris Agreements. In many of its recommendations it has emphasised the need to find a European solution to certain problems and has encouraged parliamentarians to approach their governments to ensure that such a solution is found. Thus it endeavours to promote the political will of governments, parliament and public opinion which is essential for the building of Europe. The Assembly has therefore always been careful to co-ordinate its action with that of the other European parliamentary assemblies. Its composition makes it relatively easy to divide work between the WEU Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Where the European Parliament is concerned, documents and observers have, on occasion, been exchanged between the Defence Committee of the WEU Assembly and a security and disarmament subcommittee of the European Parliament. The Assembly also follows the work of the North Atlantic Assembly. It has frequent contacts with the parliaments of the European countries members of the North Atlantic Alliance. The Assembly attaches great importance to maintaining and developing regular contacts with the United States Congress and Canadian Parliaments. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Assembly of Western European Union Tel: 33-1-47 23 54 32 * * Information Service Fax: 33-1-47 20 45 43 * * 43, avenue du President Wilson E-Mail: 100315.240@COMPUSERVE.COM * * 75775 Paris Cedex 16 - France Yves.Robins@eurokom.ie * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *