Benelux Parliament

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The Benelux Parliament, formally the Benelux Interparliamentary Consultative Council, is one of the institutions of the Benelux Economic Union, more commonly referred to as the Benelux. It was established by an agreement signed by Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg on November 5, 1955, which means it already existed when the Benelux Union was signed on February 3, 1958.

The Parliament has an advisory role; it does not have the authority to make decisions.

[edit] Members

The Benelux Parliament consists of 49 members: 21 Members of Parliament from Belgium, 21 from the Netherlands and seven from Luxembourg. The 21 Belgian members are elected from amongst both Chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament and by the Parliaments of the Communities and Regions of Belgium. The 21 Dutch members are elected from amongst the First Chamber and the Second Chamber of the States-General of the Netherlands. The seven Luxembourgian members are elected from amongst the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg.

There is also one acting member for each of the 49 members, who can replace that member if necessary.

[edit] Seat

The seat of the Benelux Parliament rotates among the cities of Brussels, The Hague and Luxembourg. Each of these cities hosts the plenary meetings of the Benelux Parliament for two consecutive years. The Benelux Parliament meets in Luxembourg for 2008; and, in 2009 and 2010, it will meet in Brussels. In 2011, it will meet in The Hague again. The Secretariat of the Benelux Parliament is located in Brussels.