Conclusions regarding policies of the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly

At its meeting on 19-20 November 2007 in the "Palais des Nations" in Geneva, the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) has reiterated the policies laid down in the "Appeal for the Establishment for a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations" and notes in particular that:

  • the Campaign pursues a politically pragmatic and gradual approach to achieve the eventual long-term goal of a world parliament;
  • in a first step the Campaign advocates the establishment of a UNPA by means which do not require a change of the UN Charter;
  • the Campaign's appeal states that a consultative UNPA initially could be composed of national parliamentarians and that this statement does not exclude the option to advocate the participation of other entities. For example, the Campaign also advocates the participation of regional parliamentary assemblies in a UNPA, such as the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament, and consideration may be given for the inclusion of local authorities in the consultative UNPA ;
  • the aforementioned statement also does not exclude to advocate a flexible approach to the mode of elections. The Campaign supports the approach that already in the first step the UNPA's Statutes should allow the participating states to opt for direct elections of their delegates if they wish to do so;
  • the Campaign advocates a UNPA which is inclusive and open to all UN member states. However, direct elections of the UNPA's delegates are regarded as a precondition for vesting the body with legislative rights.
  • the Campaign policy clearly embraces the demand that a UNPA has to provide for strong and efficient ways to include civil society, in particular NGOs, and local administrations into its work;
  • the Campaign's policy pursues the goal that the UNPA, once established, would advocate and facilitate a reform of the present system of international institutions and global governance;
  • the Campaign understands that whereas the appeal refers to “the UN and the organizations of the UN system,” that this could be interpreted to include the Bretton Woods Institutions.

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