Europarats

Europarats is a proposed interparliamentary organization designed to foster cooperation among European national parliaments on cross-border policy issues, treaty ratification, and legislative alignment. It would bring together member parliaments from European states, with possible observer statuses for regional assemblies and associated bodies. The aim is to provide a forum for coordination that complements existing institutions such as the European Union and the Council of Europe.

The concept emerged in policy and academic discussions during the 2010s as Europe expanded its governance networks beyond formal unions. As of now, Europarats remains hypothetical and has not been established by treaty or statute.

A typical structure in proposals would include an Assembly of Members, an Executive Council, and a small Secretariat. The Assembly would consider non-binding resolutions on shared challenges; the Executive Council would set agendas and oversee the work program; the Secretariat would support research, data exchange, and the preparation of comparative reports. Working groups might focus on areas such as migration, energy, environmental standards, and digital regulation.

Possible activities include annual plenary sessions, joint resolutions to encourage ratification timelines for cross-border agreements, and the development of common parliamentary scrutiny norms. It could also serve as a platform to exchange best practices in oversight, budgeting, and ethics.

Supporters argue that Europarats could streamline intergovernmental cooperation, reduce duplication, and strengthen democratic accountability across Europe. Critics warn of potential duplication with EU and regional bodies, risks to sovereignty, and the resources required to sustain a new institution.

See also: Council of Europe, European Union, Interparliamentary Union. This article describes a proposed concept rather than a currently functioning body.