Belgian Presidency of the European Union Parliamentary Activities Trio - Presidency PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION Further to a decision of the European Council, a joint programme is elaborated, since 2007 by 3 successive presidencies (for a period of 18 months) in order to ensure greater continuity. In the framework of the trio presidency Spain – Belgium – Hungary, a Cooperation agreement was concluded on 5.10.2008 by the presidents of the parliaments concerned : Cooperation agreement pdf document The aim is to provide a parliamentary dimension to this new formula of Trio presidencies (which have been up to now, to a great extend, merely governmental). In this perspective, hearings were regularly organized with the Belgian secretary of state for European Affairs during the elaboration of the programme of the trio presidency at governmental level. By doing so, the parliament was able to exert an influence on the positions of the government in the framework of the trio consultations at governmental level. The programme of the trio presidency was approved by the general affairs council of 7 December 2009. Parliamentary reports on the preparation of the trio presidency: Document K 1676/1 pdf document - 9 Dec 2008 Document K 1676/2 pdf document - 24 Feb 2009 Document K 1676/3 pdf document - 1 July 2009 Document K 1676/4 pdf document - 1 Jan 2010 PROGRAM OF THE GOVERNMENT 18 month Programme of the Spanish, Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies pdf document - 27 Nov 2009

   Date last modified 10/05/2010