Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the EU (IPC SECG)

The Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union (IPC-SECG) is a regular platform for cooperation between national parliaments and the European Parliament (EP), which was established by a decision of the Conference of the Speakers of EU Parliaments in 2013. This was based on Article 13 of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in Economic and Monetary Union (the so-called Fiscal Compact), according to which the EP and the national parliaments of the contractual parties shall jointly define “the organisation and support of a conference of representatives of the relevant committees of the EP and representatives of the relevant committees of the national parliaments to discuss budgetary policies and other matters covered by this Treaty.” This forum meets twice a year, with the meeting in the first half of the year being part of the ‘European Parliament Week’ organised by the EP in Brussels. The proceedings of the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union (or “Article 13 Conference”) are governed by the Rules of Procedure adopted in Luxembourg in 2015, which stipulate that the Conference operates on the principle of consensus and, although no conclusions or contributions are adopted during the Conference, the Rules of Procedure do not preclude this.

The Conference serves as a forum for exchanging views and positions on priorities and strategies in the budgetary, economic and social fields with representatives of the Commission, the Council and other bodies. In terms of composition, the Rules of Procedure leave parliaments absolutely free to decide how many representatives they send and which committees they represent. Members of the European Affairs, Budget, Economic and Social Affairs Committees traditionally attend.

The Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union is chaired jointly by the chairmen of the relevant committees of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic in close cooperation with the European Parliament.