You're reading: Strasbourg to host European parliamentary summit

Brussels – The chairmen and presidents of parliament from the 47 member states of the Council of Europe and many partner, observer and neighboring countries, as well as the heads of several interparliamentary assemblies, will gather in Strasbourg from on Sept. 20-21, 2012 for a major European parliamentary summit that is held every two years.

Around 350 delegates are expected at the European Conference of
Presidents of Parliaments, held under the auspices of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the press service of PACE told
Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.

The head of the apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Valentyn
Zaichuk, and Head of Ukraine’s delegation in PACE Ivan Popesku will
represent Ukraine at the summit.

The participants of the summit will debate three major topics: the
future of the European Court of Human Rights – Role of national
parliaments; is representative democracy in crisis? Challenges for
national parliaments; and the Arab revolutions – challenges and
opportunities.

The conference will open on Sept. 20 with a welcome address by
President of PACE Jean-Claude Mignon. The Secretary General of the
Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland will also address the conference.