Permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly - Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM)

pa ufm

Parliamentary Assembly - Union for the Mediterranean was officially established in Athens on 22-23 March 2004. The PA-UfM consists of 280 members, gathering members from EU national Parliaments (81 member), the European Parliament (49 members), European Mediterranean partner countries (Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monaco and Montenegro - 10 members), and parliaments of Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Syria, Palestinian Authority (130 members) and Mauritania (10 members).

Plenary sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly - Union for the Mediterranean is held at least once a year. Resolutions and recommendations are adopted at the sitting, from all aspects of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation relating to executive bodies of the Union for the Mediterranean, Council of the EU, partners of the European Commission and national governments. Resolutions and recommendations adopted by the PA-UfM are not legally binding.

The coordination of the Assembly's work is the responsibility of its Bureau, which also represents the Assembly. This Bureau consists of four members designated for a four-year mandate: two appointed by the Southern Mediterranean partner countries, one appointed by the EU national parliaments and one appointed by the European Parliament (which is a permanent member of the Bureau). The annual Presidency is held in rotation by each of the four members of the Bureau, ensuring parity and alternation between south and north chairs. The presidency of the Bureau was held by the EP in the period 2012-2013, to be followed by Jordan (2013-2014), while Portugal initiated the presidency on 9 February. Morocco is the next one to overtake the presidency.

Five standing committees work within the Parliamentary Assembly - Union for the Mediterranean

  1. Committee on Political Affairs, Security and Human Rights;

  2. Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs, Social Affairs and Education;

  3. Committee on Improving Quality of Life, Exchanges between Civil Societies and Culture;

  4. Committee on Energy, Environment and Water.

  5. Committee on Women's Rights.