A first Parliamentary Conference (17 & 18 September 2001, in Brussels) organised by the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Elmar Brok, will unite Members of Parliaments of Stability Pact and candidate countries, as well as Delegations from the OSCE’s and Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assemblies. Apart from Elmar Brok, the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact Bodo Hombach, Belgian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Annemie Neyts-Uyttenbroeck, representing the EU-Presidency, will address the Conference alongside with EU-Commissioner Chris Patten and the EU High Representative for the Common Security and Foreign Policy Javier Solana. MP Andras Barsony and MP Adrian Severin will speak on behalf of the OSCE and Council of Europe Parliamentary Assemblies.

Apart from this Opening Session, Monday 17 September 15.00 - 16.30,
to which media are kindly invited,
there will be a Press Conferenceon Tuesday 18 September
in Room 0A50of the Paul Henri Spaak Building,
60 Rue Wiertz, 1047 Brussels.

At the Press Conference, Elmar Brok (EP), Adrian Severin (OSCE), Andras Barsany (Council of Europe) and Bodo Hombach (Stability Pact) will explain the scope and the conclusions of the Conference to the media.

The Parliamentary Dimension within the Stability Pact has been established upon its founding in June 1999. This function was enhanced in June 2001 when the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and of the Council of Europe have agreed to sponsor the parliamentary dimension of the Stability Pact by creating a Parliamentary Troika covering all aspects and all Working Tables of the Stability Pact.

A rotating chairmanship was agreed upon and the European Parliament assumed this function for the second half of 2001. It therefore hosts this first Parliamentary Conference for parliamentarians of all Stability Pact partners.

For details and the Conference Program, please see draft agenda