Website: Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC)

COSAC is a co-operation between committees of the national parliaments dealing with European affairs as well as representatives from the European Parliament. At the biannual meetings of COSAC, six members represent each parliament. In addition, the national parliaments from the candidate and acceding countries are invited to participate with three observers each.

COSAC meetings normally take place in the capital of the country holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

COSAC was created in May 1989 at a meeting in Madrid, where the speakers of the Parliaments of the EU Member States agreed to strengthen the role of the national parliaments in relation to the Community matters by bringing together their Committees on European Affairs. The first meeting of COSAC took place in 16-17 November 1989 in Paris.

COSAC was formally recognised in a protocol to the Amsterdam Treaty that was concluded by Heads of State or Government in June 1997. The Protocol on the Role of the National Parliaments in the European Union came into force 1 May 1999.

According to this protocol, COSAC, inter alia, may address to the EU institutions any contribution it deems appropriate on the legislative activities of the Union.

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