The aims of technical interparliamentary cooperation are to contribute to the advancement of the rule of law and to the proper functioning of democratic institutions through improvements of parliamentary work, and also to answer requests from the Parliaments of EU Candidate Countries, especially regarding the integration of the Community acquis (the EU’s body of law).
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« Technical interparliamentary cooperation » refers to the relationships established between parliamentary assemblies in order to share their experience and skills regarding the organization of parliamentary work.
As a consequence of the democratisation process taking place since the end of the Cold War not only in Central and Eastern Europe, but more widely in many countries located in the South, especially in French-speaking African countries, interparliamentary cooperation has become a significant part of the international action of the French Senate.
These new democracies have spontaneously recognized the Parliaments of older democracies as witnesses as well as sponsors of the democratisation process, and turned to them to seek their cooperation in the implementation or the reform of parliamentary structures. Thus, the Senate is frequently called upon to provide its experience and support to Parliaments which are interested. The diversity of the requests shows that the parliamentary procedures developed by the French Senate are seen as “best practices” in many countries.
Through this parliamentary cooperation, the Senate does not claim under any circumstances to impose a model or to advocate the reproduction of a specific system. Senatorial action in this domain consists only in answering the requests that are addressed to the Senate, whilst taking into account the realities of the countries. In this way this action of cooperation can be considered to be legitimate.
1. General framework of technical interparliamentary cooperation
The framework of the French Senate’s contribution to technical interparliamentary cooperation can be bilateral or multilateral.
1.1. Bilateral cooperation
The majority of these actions result from hearings in the Senate and visits abroad by the Senate’s President. On these occasions especially, the foreign counterpart to the President or even the Head of the foreign State may express the wish to strengthen interparliamentary relations in the field of parliamentary work.
Requests may however have different sources. Thus, some cooperation requests are passed on by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our embassies or the senatorial friendship groups.
Most of these bilateral actions are occasional and non-recurring but some actions are part of a pre-established framework, such as an agreement of cooperation, drawn up for a set time between the French Senate and a foreign assembly.
1.2. Multilateral cooperation
Following the growing awareness of the links between economic development and democracy, international institutions tend to include more and more often in their programs an institutional component focused on supporting the rule of law. The goal is to provide financial and technical assistance in order to support the creation of a market economy but also to stabilize new democracies by supporting them in the modernization of the State.
Traditionally, such multilateral programs of state reform have paid first and foremost attention to the executive branch and the modernization of the legislative branch has been put to one side. However, a growing awareness in the last decade has led international institutions to promote the modernization of the legislative branch.
As a partner of these multilateral actions, the French Senate often makes its expertise available to several programs carried out by the European Commission, the World Bank, the Interamerican Bank for Development, the United Nations Development Program (UNPD) or NGOs.
1.3. Bilateral and multilateral: two complementary frameworks
Experience shows that the two levels of action, bilateral and multilateral, are often complementary.
Indeed, multilateral action may be built on a former bilateral cooperation. In this case, bilateral action may lay the groundwork before giving way to multilateral action which benefits from a higher level of financial and human resources. On the other hand, the bilateral framework may replace a completed multilateral program and allow achievements to be a special relationship with a partner country.
2. Overview of the recent actions of the French Senate regarding technical interparliamentary cooperation
2019 was a very busy year as far as technical interparliamentary cooperation was concerned, both on the bilateral and the multilateral level.
2.1. Technical cooperation within international programs
In 2019 the Senate worked mainly in conjunction with the European Union, the UNDP and the Interparliamentary Union.
The interventions of the French Senate in programs funded or conducted by the European Union were mainly focused on Tunisia, where the Senate provided support to the French National Assembly in an EU twinning project with the Tunisian Assembly of People’s Representatives.
2.2. Bilateral cooperation
Bilateral cooperation completes the actions of multilateral cooperation in which the Senate is involved. However, the human and financial resources that the Senate can use are not comparable with those available for a multilateral program. It is all the more necessary to highlight the success of these actions of bilateral cooperation. The bilateral framework offers broader opportunities to adapt to the needs of partner countries, which means a shorter range of action but better efficiency.
Many countries benefit from such a bilateral cooperation.
It is also interesting to point out that these actions of cooperation are mostly set up for bicameral parliaments. They are intended not only for French-speaking countries but also for countries which have an Anglo-Saxon legal system.
Contact : Guillaume RENAUDINEAU - g.renaudineau@senat.fr