Press release, 8 April 2014
Following the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania takes over the chairmanship of the IPEX (Interparliamentary EU Information Exchange) Board. In the view of Jonas Milerius, Secretary General of the Seimas, it is both a big honour and responsibility at the same time.
As noted in the Presidency Conclusions adopted by the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments, the Speakers thank the German Bundestag for its successful chairmanship of the IPEX Board during the last four years. “Speakers note with satisfaction that it was during these years that IPEX became a reliable and effective tool to exchange documents and information relevant for interparliamentary cooperation. Speakers congratulate the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania upon assuming the chairmanship of the IPEX Board following this Conference and wish successful fulfilment of the Chair’s mandate.”
The information platform, which comes about as a result of recommendations made by the Conference of Speakers of EU Parliaments in Rome, has become an integral instrument in the work of EU parliaments. Today IPEX is an effective tool that ensures smooth exchange of information and documents.
The first meeting of the IPEX Board chaired by the Seimas is scheduled to take place on 25 April in Vilnius. Next year IPEX will celebrate its 15th anniversary.
The IPEX system is dedicated to facilitating interparliamentary cooperation in the EU by allowing parliaments to electronically exchange EU-related information and opinions on parliamentary scrutiny, including subsidiarity aspects, and manage the schedule of interparliamentary sessions. Furthermore, IPEX increases transparency and for the first time allows national parliaments to publicise their documents for all EU national parliaments via the website for European and candidate countries' parliaments (www.ipex.eu). The heads of parliamentary administration offices are responsible for ensuring IPEX activities.
Rimas Rudaitis, Public Relations Unit, Communications Department, Office of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6208, e-mail: [email protected]
